New Line: A Fresh Step
by Xanderionas
Summary: While on the hunt for a 'fugitive', Hifumi's life is thrown into disarray when fate tries to cut her future short. A spin-off of my previous novel "New Line", in honour of one of my favourite characters who deserved better treatment. Read "New Line" for context on characters and background.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: **

Hifumi's lungs were spouting fire, the strain on her airway enough to make her gasp with every step. She would never normally find herself in this position. Her entire life, she resolved to take her time with tasks. She knew it could be considered 'lazy', but Hifumi never thought to exert herself beyond her limits physically.

This time however, Hifumi had thrown caution to the wind. For over an hour, she had been running around town, keeping in touch with the rest of the Character Team and their new friend, Futaba. The young manager had sent a voice message loud enough to shatter glass, bringing Hifumi's recent good mood crashing down with a few simple words:

"Boss has resigned!"

In that second, Hifumi lost all touch with the world. She wasted no time after that, receiving updates continually from Futaba as she ran out of her apartment and began to search for his last known whereabouts. She had already met up with Aoba and a few co-workers from Eagle Jump, all as desperate as she was in finding out just what the meaning was behind the image Futaba sent.

_A resignation letter._

Hifumi shook her head as she continued walking down the next avenue to a shopping mall, where a passerby had mentioned seeing Anders. She stopped to catch her breath, sensing her throat constricting with pain as she struggled to breathe. She was going beyond her limits, she knew that. Her hair was in tatters, her makeup was ruined and she couldn't feel her toes anymore. Yet she ignored her discomfort and pressed on, rushing through the mall and every conceivable store before popping out through the other end. She wiped the sweat from her brow, letting the stream of water drip from her fingers. A truck drove past her, advertising some sort of new navigation system.

_If only I could use it to find him._

Examining her surroundings, she saw something completely unexpected. Across the street from her, a large entryway opened up to a roundabout, a sign beside it with macabre writing.

"Tama Cemetery."

She had only visited a cemetery once before, never wishing to do it again. The idea of entering one had always frightened her, the image of countless graves before her something she vehemently wiped away from her mind. Yet, she slowly came to the realization that she had already looked everywhere else in the area apart from here. It was a long shot, as Futaba and the other co-workers had mainly considered places where a lot of people were to hide under. Yet oddly enough, they had never explicitly mentioned the chance of him being where few people visited. Her intuition told her that perhaps, Futaba had them deliberately searching in places he normally wouldn't be at so that nobody could find him by accident. While she was already close to believing it, one question stuck out for her.

_Why?_

None of it made sense. Anders resigning from the job was a huge deal, not just for her. Everyone knew how much trouble he had now after being falsely accused of performing a cyber-attack on his own company. Although he had come out without charges, it still marked the end of his career, a reason why Hifumi was so thankful for Yagami to have been able to get him the job at Eagle Jump. Yet, this sudden turn of events told her that behind the scenes, a lot more was happening than she originally thought.

"I... I need to check…" she huffed through gasps, her body screaming for relief, "If he's...maybe there…"

She knew it wasn't more than a hunch, a fleeting hope. Yet she couldn't deny herself the chance of being able to find him. She had so much to say to him, so much to complain and argue about with him. She couldn't forgive him personally for having run away, for leaving her and the others behind without saying a word. She heard how frustrated Yagami was when she found out, feeling the exact same way. So she forced herself to stand upright, ignoring the pain in her chest and marching towards the entrance. She kept a careful eye out in the meantime, unwilling to let even a hint of Anders' presence escape her.

"I can't let him leave. Not without... not without…"

A blush decorated her face as she crossed the driveway and found herself at the first row of graves near the roundabout, at a loss what direction to take. She fought back the heat in her cheeks, trying to stay focused.

"I can't let myself… get distracted… what?"

The pain in her chest had gotten worse, despite her having slowed down. She looked down and realized that her legs weren't responding anymore. Hifumi felt her sense of balance abandon her completely, collapsing on the ground. She tried to raise herself with a grunt, but the pain in her chest had grown too great, barely able to move her fingers as the graveyard's silence enveloped her.

Hifumi felt a shudder run down her back. She recalled the words a doctor had said to her all those years ago when she had fallen unconscious during a school marathon:

_It appears to be a form of cardiomyopathy. Regular light exercise will help keep you safe in the long run. However, attempting extended runs or heavy lifting without training can lead to muscle paralysis or, at worst, a heart attack._

"A heart attack."

She couldn't believe it. Here she was, having lived for over twenty years without issue by simply never straining herself. Only to end up flat on the ground, running around for somebody she had barely met for more than a week. She didn't even have the strength to clench a fist and pound the ground in anger. Tears began to fall as she contemplated dying alone, in the middle of a graveyard. The irony was enough to make her cry twice as much.

"I just…"

Her throat tightened itself on her, the pain in her chest having grown beyond description now. She felt her world grow dark, her eyelids closing on her with absolution. She gave a grim smile as she recognized the stupidity of her actions, yet at the same time she didn't regret them. She let her thoughts wander as she slipped from consciousness:

_I just wanted to see him one more time._

With that, the world closed itself around her. Her vision gone, her touch a passing memory, she resigned herself to the fate she had brought on. The last thing she ever sensed was a voice in the far distance, unable to figure out who it was. As it called out her name, she felt her mind fold in on itself, succumbing to nothingness on the cold ground of death.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: **

White light. Soft humming. A dry texture with the stench of disinfectant. The bitter taste of something in her mouth. These sensations all flowed over Hifumi and slowly brought her to an impossible conclusion.

_I'm not dead?_

She squirmed under the dry sheets, blinking repeatedly until the stinging of the halogen lamp dissipated. As she regained her bearings around the room, she realized where she was.

"A hospital room?"

Indeed, she was in a sterile room with the blandest colors ever imagined. White walls and beige floors screamed at any fashion enthusiast. A machine was humming beside her, soft beeping now audible from a screen that was apparently measuring her heartbeat. As she tried to seat herself upright, she felt and saw the numerous tubes hanging from her. Even more evident however was the stinging on her chest, a quick glance downwards enough to tell her why. Her chest was wrapped tight in bandages, making it cumbersome to breathe. Yet the stinging she felt clearly occurred in a straight line down the middle. Just as she registered it, the door to her room opened, revealing a balding doctor with a neutral smile. His stereotypical white coat flapped in the gentle breeze that drew through the half-open window.

"Ms. Takimoto, you've awakened. Wonderful."

Hifumi gazed at the doctor in clear confusion, him picking up on it and continuing:

"You might have figured this out by now, but you're in a hospital. I would ask that you lie down again to ease your wound."

She obliged him, more out of politeness than anything else.

"What...happened?"

His smile faded completely.

"You had a heart attack, Ms. Takimoto. A very serious one."

Despair drowned Hifumi's mind as she saw the reality of the situation.  
"A heart attack? Then how…?"

The doctor's smile surfaced once more.

"You were very lucky. A passerby found you on the ground and called an ambulance while providing first aid. They were surprisingly stubborn about accompanying you and performed admirably well with keeping you alive. I still believe them to be hiding a doctor's license."

He chuckled to himself, before pulling out a clipboard and ticking something off.

"Well, that's my mandatory humor of the day marked off. Now, Ms. Takimoto, I need you to listen to me very closely regarding your current state."

She meekly nodded, only now aware that he was rather close to her, though there were still several feet of distance between them.

"Your heart could not be resuscitated due to extensive damage to your heart chambers, likely caused by the sudden exertion you put yourself through. Luckily, we were able to connect you to an artificial heart pump and keep you alive for the time being. At the same time, you won the grand lottery. A patient in this hospital had just passed away as you entered and it was quickly determined you two could be a match. So we arranged to have you receive a heart transplant."

"Trans... plant...?"

Hifumi couldn't believe her ears. Not even halfway through her twenties and already she needed a transplant. The news made her extraordinarily depressed, despite her gratitude. The doctor smirked as he peeked up from his clipboard.

"You should consider yourself lucky. Most people wait months for a transplant to be put in place. The surgery itself was a complete success and no abnormalities have been seen so far. Your mother and friends have been notified already of your current state and have come to see you, though I have denied them an audience for your awakening so far."

"Denied? Why?"

"On behalf of who found you. They were a great help during these last few days in arranging contact information. They suggested going through with the transplant and even covered for all the costs, as the circumstances didn't allow your insurance to cover the surgery. You have a very good friend at your side, Ms. Takimoto."

"A… friend? Who found me?"

"They are in the visitor area right now. Haven't moved since the surgery, waiting for you to wake up. I will perform some quick tests and then they may see you for a short bit. But I must warn you Ms. Takimoto, you cannot get stressed out. Any stress right now could lead to the incisions tearing and forcing us to cut you open again. I hope you understand."

Doom settled over her heart, literally and figuratively, before she nodded and let him perform the check-up. Once he was satisfied, he left the room quietly, leaving her alone in the expansive room. She peered out through the open window, overhearing the traffic of both cars and people outside. Her mind spun with who could have possibly helped her so much, without even a name to go with. Her shyness had prevented any meaningful contact with people outside, making her infinitely grateful for the friends she had made in Eagle Jump.

"No." she murmured, "There was someone else."

She thought back to her chase after Anders, of the danger she had put herself in. Completely ignoring her own condition, pushing herself beyond her limits, and losing consciousness in the middle of a graveyard. The memory of him caused her heart to tighten momentarily, worried about where he might be.

_Even though I nearly died, I still think about him. Such a fool you are, Hifumi Takimoto. He's surely long gone by now. You failed to catch him._

Her mood turned sour as she considered her priorities, even now with her body no longer completely being her own. She could feel the new heart pumping, endlessly slaving away to keep her alive. It filled her with a mixture of trepidation and happiness.

At the same time, she heard the door open again, it likely being the one who had rescued her. She took a deep breath and gathered herself, refusing to lose focus before her savior.

And promptly released her breath as she saw Anders enter.

He looked 'disheveled' to say the least, his beard no longer trimmed but growing wildly. It was clear he had to shave every day to keep it as neat and befitting as it was, yet he hadn't done anything of the sort. His suit, normally clean and ironed, was now wrinkled and squeezed, as if he had been sleeping on the floor. Yet what stood out the most was the concern on his face, marked with lines that made him seem ten years older than he was.

Hifumi struggled to calm herself, but his mere presence, of being _there_, was enough to make her heart race. The inevitable happened when the heart rate monitor began to beep faster, making him quickly scribble something in large letters on his notebook:

_Window._

She grasped his intention and did so, remaining solely focused on the view outside. Soon enough, the beeping had returned to a normal rhythm. Anders gave a sigh as he eased into a chair, based on the screech of wood on linoleum. She continued looking outside though, aware that she couldn't do anything dangerous. It surprised her therefore to hear a buzz, revealed to be her phone on the bedside table with a message. Opening it, she was not surprised to find it flooded with messages and missed calls. The message that she just received though came from Anders himself:

_For the sake of your health, let's keep it like this for now. We don't want a repeat of what happened, do we?_

Her heart, as fragile as it still was, melted a bit at his consideration. She quickly sent him a reply:

_Thank you for rescuing me._

_It was nothing, don't worry about it._

_You saved my life. How could I thank you in return?_

_By not running around when you have a heart condition._

Her face burned a bit at that, hesitating before answering back.

_I'm sorry. I was just so worried about you._

_Worried? For somebody like me?_

_Of course! You just ran away without telling us. We were looking all over for you in the city but couldn't find anything._

_I see. Why were you at the graveyard though? Thought I'd kicked the bucket?_

_No! I just happened to pass by and I got suspicious of Futaba._

_Why that?_

Hifumi bit her lip on what she was about to discuss. Yet, she couldn't hold back on her honesty anymore.

_She told us all to search in places where a lot of people where, but never where there wouldn't be many normally. So I got suspicious and decided to look._

_And that was when you collapsed?_

_Yes._

Another sigh echoed in the room.

_You need to be more careful, Ms. Takimoto. Had I not found you, there would likely have been nothing saving you._

_I'm sorry for all the trouble. _

_You didn't cause me any trouble, quite the contrary. You gave me a chance to thank you back, after all._

_What?_

Hifumi's eyes widened slightly. She had no recollection of ever having done anything to warrant saving her life like this. She began to type a reply but was interrupted by him:

_Do you remember my first day at Eagle Jump?_

_It was only last week, so of course._

_I was quite nervous back then, unsure what to expect or what to do. I had after all only followed the advice of Ms. Yagami and joined because of the lengths she went to get me in. And it was during that day that you, Ms. Takimoto, showed me the warmest welcome I could have hoped._

She sensed her heart rate rising again slightly, fighting to calm it back down again.

_I didn't do much! Kou was the one who got you into the company and everything. _

_Yes and I'm grateful to her as well. But fact remains that you were the one who made me feel the most welcome in the company._

_Why me?_

_Both for your general interest in me and for the gift you procured. I still cherish it. I took it with me before I left my letter._

The mention of his resignation letter made her mood fall again. Now feeling depressed, she asked:

_Mr. Tansuke, why would you do that? Why hand in your resignation like that suddenly?_

_To be honest, it was because I got scared._

_Scared?_

_I'm embarrassed to admit it but yes. I got scared of all the good memories I was making and the possibility of something terrible happening to remove it from me. So I tried to run in order to prevent anything from happening. How sickeningly ironic that my escape caused you so much harm. I'm truly sorry for my idiocy._

She heard a thud on the ground, glancing to see Anders in an extremely polite bow that flustered her enough to almost yell:

"P-please, raise your head! It... it was my fault for not listening to my doctor's advice!"

He looked up with a pained smile, causing her to look away again and await his next text:

_Thank you. But the truth is that, had I not run away, you wouldn't be lying here with a new heart. I can't help but feel terribly guilty for all the pain I caused you and the others._

_I said it's alright! It was my decision to try and find you so I don't regret doing this._

_You flatter me, Ms. Takimoto. I'm nobody you should be concerned with._

_Huh?_

At that moment, the door opened again to reveal the doctor, still smiling but a clear signal being sent from him.

"Mr. Tansuke, I'll have to ask you to leave now. She requires rest."

Anders nodded and stood up, giving Hifumi a final glance and smile before exiting the room. Hifumi felt just a slight bit lonely as his presence left the room, the doctor giving her a few final remarks before leaving himself. As silence overtook her surroundings again, she stared dejectedly at the phone, wondering to herself just what he had meant.

_I'm nobody you should be concerned with._

The words stuck to her mind like glue, causing endless waves of doubt to run through her. As if reading her mind, another message from Anders appeared:

_Please forget what I just said. As the doctor explained, I took over contacting your friends and family over what happened. Incognito, of course._

_You did that as well? _

_I can't go leaving people wondering where you went, can I? I need you to promise me something though. Can you do it?_

_Of course! Anything!_

_Don't tell anyone I ever met you or that I helped you out._

Hifumi's breathing stopped for a few seconds out of shock, not able to believe what she was reading.

_But why?_

_So far as anyone knows, I left Eagle Jump to pursue a new job outside Tokyo. Ms. Yagami will have spread the news already as a final sign of good-will. I can't be letting others see me after this, else they'll raise hell. So for the sake of us both, please keep my involvement a secret. The hospital staff are in on it as well so there's no need to worry about a leak. Everyone thinks you were found in a nearby park searching for me._

_Why do you want to be separate from everyone so badly? They all like you, why hide your help from them?_

_Because I don't think I can ever face anybody there again. It's too painful after what I've done. Please, promise me you won't tell anyone._

Hifumi's mind was overloaded with indecision. She still didn't understand why he would be concerned about being known, as he had done so much to help her. Yet, she felt obligated due to him having saved her life.

_Alright, I promise._

_Thank you. I will have to see about finding a new job somewhere else. I might leave the city for good then, chances of the others seeing me is too high. It will be difficult, but I'll manage._

_No._

_What?_

Hifumi gasped as she realized she typed the word out without thinking. Scrambling for an excuse, she realized she had none. So she resigned herself to honesty again:

_I don't want you to leave the city yet. At least... visit me every day if you can. I'll keep quiet about you, but please come see me. I feel I can recover better if you are around._

She couldn't believe she was being so frank with herself. Imagining the difference had she been speaking herself caused her to grow gloomy again, before his answer brightened her up:

_If it helps you, I'd be glad to come by. I'll have to see about finding a part-time job in the meantime, but I can stay for at least a month. Will that work with you?_

_Yes! I'm sorry for asking so much…_

_Takimoto, I am the one asking for too much by hoping for your forgiveness. I'd be happy to help you anyway I can. But rest for now, you have a long day tomorrow. I expect half of Eagle Jump is coming to visit, along with your mother. _

_I see. Thank you again for everything, Mr. Tansuke._

_Call me Anders, Ms. Takimoto. Take care._

_You too, Anders. Just call me Takimoto._

She placed her phone down and sighed as she sank deeper into the covers. The silence of the hospital overtook the noise outside, granting her peace while her mind churned. She thought back to Anders and that first smile he had shown when entering. It had been heavy with happiness, but she had seen it masking more. That of both regret and sorrow, as if seeing a repeat of something tragic.

She shook her head gently and gathered herself. She wasn't about to show anyone weakness any longer. Not with this new heart that pumped fresh blood through her veins.

"I promise…" she said to herself, before sensing her exhaustion beginning to catch up with her, "I promise to change, Anders. Both for myself, and for you."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3:**

The next day, Hifumi was well and truly invaded by people. The first one to pop up was Aoba, who nearly crashed into her chest and received a stern scolding for it. Rin and the others arrived as well, each one overflowing with concern and worry about her. Hajime was bawling like mad, while Jun tried to both comfort her and stop crying herself. Rin brought a beautiful bouquet, the relief in her eyes as she saw Hifumi clear as day. Yagami was the last one to enter, looking more nervous than ever before. As Hifumi made eye contact with her, Yagami sighed and relaxed her shoulders, coming over and wrapping her arms gently around her.

"Don't ever do that again." she whispered into Hifumi's ear, who merely breathed out an agreement. As they separated, Hifumi noticed Yagami's expression particularly burdened, sensing that it wasn't merely about her. She couldn't discuss it though as she chatted to everyone about what had happened and how she was doing. She kept her promise and never said a word about Anders' involvement, nobody even thinking of inquiring. When she herself asked about the search for Anders and how it went, the mood suddenly dropped several degrees, Yagami diverting her vision to the window. After a few minutes of asking questions, Hifumi found that Anders' measures had held up. Everyone believed Anders had abruptly received a better job offer at a foreign company, handing in his letter like that to make a dramatic exit. Yagami's jaw clenched as she gave the recounting, Hifumi aware why it was but remaining silent. Everyone looked hurt by the result, not even Hajime able to crack a joke to lighten up their spirits. Unhappy that she had depressed everyone, Hifumi tried to cheer them up by giving some good news:

"I received word from the doctor that...if I heal well...I could leave the hospital in a month."

"Already?" Rin asked, her brow furrowed in concern, "You don't have to try and rush your way out of here. You just got a new heart, you need to take care of yourselves first and foremost."

"Exactly!" Hajime butted in, looking as resolute as always, "I won't forgive you if you try to come into work early just to catch up! You stay in bed and rest!"

"But..." Hifumi began, only to be interrupted by Aoba:

"Hifumi, please. We're all worried about you. You shouldn't do anything stressful now, didn't the doctor say so? Once you're released, we can come visit you anytime until you feel better. Take your time before coming back, ok?"

"Aoba…" Hifumi mumbled, before giving a nod, "Alright, I promise."

Everyone around her exchanged relieved glances, before Yagami spoke up:

"Hey Hifumin, could I ask you something?"

Hifumi glanced up at Yagami in surprise, before nodding.

"How did you get a heart transplant so quickly? I heard that it takes months for someone to get a new heart and that they can get put on machines until then. But you got yours within what, a few days? How did that work?"

"Now that you mention it," Rin pondered while looking up at the ceiling, "the company insurance didn't cover you. Did your health insurance take care of it?"

Hifumi moved to agree, before being stabbed in the back by Jun's comment:

"Can't be. My aunt recently suffered a kidney failure out of nowhere and her insurance didn't cover the cost of a transplant. The kidneys she received cost a huge amount and nearly bankrupted her. Hifumi, you didn't pay for yours, did you?"

Aware that she had no escape anymore, she tried to circumvent the truth by telling half of it. Unable to speak calmly though, she resorted to writing:

_The surgery was paid by the one who found me. She heard I needed the money and paid for it in full._

Aoba and the others gave astonished looks.

"Wow, really?" Hajime murmured, "That was incredibly kind of them. Did you get a name?"

_No. She wanted to remain anonymous so I never found out._

Hifumi saw how Yagami's mind was churning in the background, hopeful that she didn't see through the lie. Luckily, she soon relaxed her expression and smiled.

"Well," she began, "The important thing is that you're safe. I wish I could thank whoever paid for it, but it's good to know there are more kind people in this world."

She could have been imagining it, but Hifumi could have sworn she heard something sour in Yagami's tone. There was no time to contemplate it though, as the door burst open with no one else than her mother, a small cage in her arms.

"Hifumi!" she exclaimed, before dashing over to her side, "My poor girl! Are you alright, are you hurt?"

"Mom…" Hifumi said quietly, before shaking her head with a smile, "You know better than to ask that, being a nurse."

"Like I care! You could have died, Hifumi! Never do that to me again, you hear me? I couldn't…"

Hifumi saw how her mother swallowed her tears, gently dragging her into an embrace that didn't hurt her in the least.

"Mom... I'm fine... I'm not going anywhere. I'm here."

That was the breaking point for Mom, who burst into tears as she hugged Hifumi tighter. Yagami and the others excused themselves, leaving Hifumi to deal with her tender mother. She knew that Mom was panicking because of her father. He had collapsed in much the same way, his heart even weaker than hers. Nothing had worked to keep him alive until the ambulance arrived, him passing away before her mother while Hifumi had been in elementary school. It was still a dark part of their history, yet Hifumi had strived to move on from it. It was understandable though why her mother couldn't follow as easily. Quitting her job to become a nurse was just her way of numbing the pain without finding peace at first.

Getting her mother to calm down took longer than expected, eventually revealing Sojiro in the cage she had brought. It eased Hifumi's heart to see him again. Sojiro himself appeared happy to see her, based on the amount of petting he suddenly desired. Once he had his fill, her mother gave a farewell and promised to come visit as often as she could, Hifumi imploring her to not shirk from her actual job. Once she had left as well, her environment became uncomfortably silent once more, the reality of her situation striking like a jackhammer. It was therefore no small joy when she heard her phone buzz, opening it to reveal a message from Anders:

_Is it safe to enter or do I have to put on an invisibility cloak?_

She couldn't help but giggle, checking her heart to make sure nothing was painful before answering:

_It's fine, they all left just now. _

_Good._

To her surprise, the door opened at the same time as the message appeared, Anders popping his head through it with a far cleaner appearance. She gave a tiny squeak as he came in.

"Y-you were there?"

He pointed to her phone, on which an answer already laid:

_I just arrived, in fact._

"I see." she took a few deep breaths and turned to face the window again, her heartbeat again calming down so that no nurse would run in here in panic.

_So, how were they? _

_Happy. And very worried._

_I expect as much. When a beloved member of the team is unwell, it's natural to be concerned for them._

"I'm not... beloved…"

_Quite the contrary. I got caught in a sticky situation where I was nearly seen by Ms. Yagami and the rest, but I got to overhear how worried they were. They wanted to bring the entire snack table over so you could have your normal lunch break._

Hifumi's eyes widened a slight bit.

_They did?_

_Yep. You need to have more faith in yourself, Takimoto. I told you back at Eagle Jump that you were well-respected and this only proves my words. You have a lot of people who care for you, not just your mother._

Warmth blossomed in Hifumi's heart as she thought back to the faces of Aoba and the rest, thanking each face she conjured before turning a bit towards Anders.

_Thank you._

_Think nothing of it. I'm quite pleased to see you still awake after everything. How does your chest feel?_

_It feels... alright, I suppose. It stings every now and then, but it never reaches a level I can't deal with._

_I'm glad. Remember to not try and hide it though, alright? Pain, even at a light level, could be a warning sign for doctors. I also suggest doing some breathing exercises._

_Exercises?_

_I was thinking about it after I left yesterday. You're currently in a very delicate state. In order to help deal with any sudden stress attacks, it would be best for you to train with breathing exercises to calm yourself down. If anything were to suddenly stress you out, it could lead to another surgery. Call it a precautionary method._

_I see. But what do I have to do? I can't really move._

_Simple, you don't. Just follow my instructions. I'll do voice messaging to make it easier._

She hesitated for a moment, before nodding and putting her phone down. Soon enough, the first message rang in the room:

"First, place your arms along your sides. Make sure to raise your chest a slight bit so you can receive more air. Stop if it's painful, we can skip it if necessary."

She did as he instructed, the position fortunately not discomforting.

"Next, empty your lungs of all the air you have left. We want them perfectly empty."

She exhaled, ensuring she could go no further as the next step already sounded:

"Now inhale slowly through your nose until bursting. Hold for three seconds."

As she began to inhale, she glanced over towards him. The sincere smile he showed her nearly brought her out of the step, snapping her eyes back towards the ceiling to not get distracted.

"Purse your lips, exhale slowly through your mouth. Relax your face muscles."

The latter step took more effort than Hifumi predicted, requiring a few seconds before she got it down in conjunction with her breath. As her lungs emptied again and she returned to breathing normally, she heard one more voice message:

"That's it. We'll repeat it a few times, alright?"

She nodded, only to blink in surprise as he spent a considerable amount of time on his phone, turning out to be just a normal text message:

_I suggest you work on doing this as well whenever you feel stressed during your stay or afterwards. Anxiety or nervousness around or due to others can be easily kept under control if you remember to regulate your breathing. It will hopefully prevent any unintended harm to your new heart as well during your recovery. For now, just repeat the steps._

With that, they spent another ten minutes repeating the exercise, Hifumi feeling more and more relaxed with every attempt. At the end, she found she could even watch Anders without raising her heartbeat, noticing the small yet prideful smile he wore. His eyes, as captivating with their blue as always, remained solely focused on her, causing her to blush slightly. As they concluded their training, the doctor came by again to chase him away, leaving with a final wide smile and a message after he exited the room:

_I'll be back tomorrow, as promised. Make sure to rest well for your sake and everyone else's, alright?_

_I will. But, Anders…_

_What is it?_

_Why does it sound like you're not included in that list?_

His answer came delayed, Hifumi having the room silent for a good few minutes before he returned an answer:

_I told you, I'm nobody important in this. Focus on your recovery, it'll do you better._

_You're also important to me, you know?_

Hifumi felt her heart rate increase again at her frankness, but a quick repeat of their training brought it back down.

_You're concerning yourself with the wrong person. Your health should be your number one priority right now. _

_But what if I want to worry about you? You still haven't found another job, right?_

_I'll sort it out, please don't worry. I bring myself into this sort of trouble all the time, so I'm used to it. _

_What do you mean with that?_

_Nothing much. I'm headed home. See you tomorrow, Takimoto._

_You too, Anders._

Hifumi sighed, echoes jumping around the room as she wondered to herself just what it was that kept Anders so down. She knew though that no answer could come from nowhere and thus, she snuggled herself deeper into her covers. Her attempts at sleep were burdensome, repeatedly interrupted by the appearance of a masked person with a whisky glass who kept repeating a certain sentence:

_I'm nobody important._


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: **

A little over a month after her surgery, Hifumi was finally given tentative permission to leave the hospital. It had cost her a lot of energy to argue her case, but eventually they had relented.

"However," the doctor said while finishing up the paperwork, "I will not have you unsupervised. Sudden backlashes may still occur at this point in time. Your bones may have begun fusing thanks to the wires, but your heart is a different matter entirely should anything get infected. Therefore, I need somebody to watch over you daily for the next month. If no incidents occur, then I will not push the possibility of another surgery. I implore you to not return to work however until at least another month has passed. We cannot have you collapsing again."

His words were harsh, but truthful. The stinging in her chest had stopped, but her body still felt much weaker than usual, the lack of exercise surely the cause for it. Hence, she had not complained. Her recovery had been astounding nevertheless, the nurses complimenting her for healing so well.

"Then...who will be supervising me? A nurse?"

To her surprise, the doctor smiled and shook his head.

"That will not be necessary. An agency who we have contact with sent out an intern to supervise you. Their skills are more than enough to handle your situation and have been checked by us. They have also been made aware of your medication and can help you make sure you stick through it."

"An intern?" Hifumi wondered loudly to herself, "Where are they?"

"They're waiting for you outside the entrance with a car to take you home. Your belongings have been brought to them so that you can avoid lifting anything. No need to worry about sudden developments, we have established direct contact at all times between your caretaker and me so that if anything should happen, we can act as soon as possible."

Hifumi felt herself blush a bit at the care she was being given.  
"T-thank you for all your help."

"Nothing to mention, Ms. Takimoto. I instead wish you a good day and a healthy recovery. Remember what I said and take your medication. Also, don't forget to come back once every week so we can track your healing progress."

She nodded firmly, in her handbag several prescription tablets for her to take daily. She felt a bit burdened by the sheer amount, but she knew it was for her safety. She bowed gingerly before the doctor and exited the office, sauntering along the long corridor on the ground floor. She still felt unstable while walking, thus she eventually moved to the side and grabbed the railing that was expressly built for people like her. She knew that she was no longer the same, the foreign organ in her chest along with the numerous metal wires proof of it. The x-ray she had seen originally horrified her, to be carrying so much metal within an organic body. Yet with each step, she felt more and more alive, feeling herself slowly regain her humanity. Her journey through the reception area was slow with the amount of people crowding her, but Hifumi managed to hold it together until she finally exited through the main door. The sun shone vividly, illuminating everything in lush yellow and warming her body. She gently stretched and basked in the sunshine, before noticing her phone buzz in her pocket. She saw Anders' being the recipient and immediately opened his message:

_So, your big day. Have you been released already?_

_Yep. They gave me my medication and a lot of warnings, but they let me go._

_That's great! So who's picking you up? Your mother?_

_No, she's on duty today and can't come. The doctor said I needed a caretaker for the next few weeks and that one was waiting for me outside._

_I see. Do you know who's taking you?_

_I haven't found out yet. They said an agency had sent out an intern to help me for the next month. I haven't met them yet._

_Isn't it a beautiful day outside?_

She was slightly surprised by the change in topic, but answered regardless:

_Yes, it is. I'm glad to be back outside again._

_Good, then you might want to spare a second to look to your left._

"What?" she said out loud, before turning in the direction he stated. She nearly yelled in surprise as she saw none other than Anders standing before her, his large stature covering an impressive amount of ground in shadow. He was dressed in a casual outfit this time, lacking the suit he usually always wore. Somehow, the change was pleasing for Hifumi, who was however more concerned with his immediate presence:

"Wh-why are you here? I thought…"

_That I was off working my part-time job? True, I was doing that, but they gave me a special assignment._

"W-what assignment?"

Hifumi was so shocked by his presence that she didn't realize she was speaking directly with him. Her heartbeat somehow remained relaxed despite how close he was.

_Because they thought I had worked enough to be entrusted with a proper job._

"A j-job?"

_Yep. I'm now a caretaker. In training at least._

"A caretaker? That…" Hifumi's eyes turned into saucers as the pieces fell into place, "So you're who they were t-talking about?"

_That's right. I got a volunteer job here in the hospital to learn how to treat patients like you. I begged the doctor to let me do this and he relented. After the month was over, he said I had learned the essentials and gave me permission to assist you with your recovery._

"W-wait! So you're r-really coming to take care of me?"

_That's right. Did I surprise you?_

The grin he gave made her nearly lose control over her breathing. She put a hand over her chest as she sensed her heartbeat rise, panic slowly seeping into her mind. Almost straight away however, she felt a pair of hands grab her by the shoulders, looking up to see Anders' face frighteningly close to her own. His concern was clear as day, quickly guiding her to a nearby bench to sit down. A piece of paper slid before her eyes, a single word on it:

_Breathe_

Taking his advice, she forced herself to begin the breathing routine she had been maintaining with him for the last month. It took several minutes, but she soon managed to bring her heart rate back to normal, sweating slightly under both the sun and stress. Once she felt calm enough to think clearly, she glanced up at Anders, who still looked deathly concerned. She raised a hand and formed a weak thumbs up to indicate she was better, which only softened his expression slightly.

"I-I'm alright now. Just the shock."

It was clear he wasn't satisfied by that, regret suddenly taking his expression as he looked away with what she sensed was shame.

"Wh-what is it?"

He grabbed his notebook and wrote something down, before erasing and rewriting it. Eventually, he produced something he could show her:

_I'm sorry for shocking you like that. I didn't tell you because I wanted to surprise you. But I completely forgot to consider your current state. Please, forgive me._

The sheer regret he expressed in his face was enough to remove the last of Hifumi's panic and instead replace it with concern. She grabbed the notebook and began writing herself:

_It's alright. I was just not expecting it. I didn't expect anything, to be honest._

_Why that?_

_I was surprised at how considerate the hospital had been and how much support they were offering without me requesting it. I never thought that you would start working here just for my sake. Why did you do it?_

_I told you the day you first woke up. I felt guilty for what I had caused by my departure, so I decided to make it up to you._

_By training to help me recover?_

_Of course. I can't express enough how sorry I am for bringing you into this situation. _

_I told you, I'm not holding you responsible. I was at fault for pushing myself._

_Regardless, I felt terrible. Are you better now?_

_Yes, thank you. Your breathing routine really helps._

That was Hifumi's honest opinion. There had been some bad spells in the hospital during her stay, spasms and pain that she couldn't fight back against. When they occurred, the nurses immediately administered painkillers, though what Hifumi found calmed her down quicker was doing the routine. She knew that, had she not learned it, her nights in the hospital could have become a lot worse.

_I'm glad. Come on, let's get you home. I'm sure you're looking forward to it, right?_

_Yes, I am. It's probably dusty by this point._

_I overheard something about that. Your mother hasn't told you, but she's been cleaning your apartment for you while you've been gone._

_What?_

Hifumi wondered to herself just what her mother was thinking, taking time from her busy schedule just to do that. It didn't remove the gratefulness in her heart, but she knew she had to be cross with her.

_Don't be too annoyed with her. She likely just didn't want to have nothing to do either while waiting for you to get better. Come on, let's go. You need to lie down and hot weather is no good for fresh patients._

She answered with a nod, allowing Anders to guide her by putting his hand on her shoulder. Had this contact happened over a month ago, she'd have likely yelled by now. Yet, Anders had slowly gotten closer to her, only ever initiating contact after the third week. At this point, she could deal with him doing this much, even if it still unnerved her. He made sure to never exceed his limits, always asking in advance at first. Her saving grace had been the breathing routine, performing it every time in advance so that she didn't immediately relapse.

He guided her to a small, surely second-hand car and opened the door for her. She gave a small smile and sat herself down, him quick on entering and getting the car running. Before she could give him her address, he slipped a note showing he already knew where to go and that she should rest. Thankful for his consideration, she eased into the comfortable seat and watched the scenery change as he drove away from the hospital, his driving smooth and relaxed as he took the corners with extra consideration. The recent excitement caused her eyes to grow heavy, leaning further into her seat and slowly falling asleep. Before she did though, she let a few words escape into the car:

"Thank you."

Anders of course didn't answer, allowing her to descend into a comfortable dream where she was surrounded by flowers and billowing grass. Her thoughts became translucent and free as she played around in her imagination. She had no idea how long she was in there, but eventually she felt a hand rock her gently. Squinting as the sunlight struck her directly, she looked to see her apartment complex beside her. Anders was already outside the car, ready to help her out. She smiled in appreciation but managed to get up by herself, the nap having helped regain some of her energy. They took their time heading up to her apartment, Hifumi forced to be carried up as the doctor has explicitly warned her not to climb stairs yet. It shamed her slightly, apart from the sheer embarrassment of being in Anders' arms. Once they reached her door, she unlocked it and took the first few steps inside her apartment.

True to Anders' word, the foyer was clean and polished, her inside shoes orderly placed against the corner without a speck of dust to be found anywhere. Hifumi reminded herself to thank Mom next time she talked with her before switching her shoes. As she moved down the corridor, she caught how Anders stood at the entrance still, rubbing the back of his head with a slightly nervous expression. She wondered what it was about, before connecting the dots.

"You can… enter… it's fine…"

He gave a sigh of relief, dropping his shoes and crossing the foyer with her. As she opened the door to her living room, she was again astounded to see everything clean, almost sparkling.

"Mom... you overdid it…" she murmured, sensing her exhaustion catch up with her again. Anders supported her by the shoulder, bringing her to the sofa and letting her lie down with a pillow under her head. As she relaxed her body, she watched him write in his notebook again:

_Well, that's the worst part over. For now, get some more rest. I'll have a look whether I can't buy something for us to eat. _

He flashed another smile and moved to stand, only to be held back by Hifumi's hand grasping at his shirt. He glanced down in surprise, Hifumi barely able to keep it together long enough to press out:

"Please... don't leave... wait until I fall asleep…"

He raised an eyebrow, making her assume he didn't understand, and elaborated:

"Having you here… calms me down... so please stay…"

Her energy spent, she relaxed her grip again and sank deeper into the sofa, sleep already looming dangerously close over her. She barely put up a fight against it, when she suddenly noticed a warmth in her hand. She raised her eyelids as much as she could, just barely able to catch sight of her hand being enveloped by a larger, more rugged one. The moment she realized what was happening, her heart began to flutter, only not due to her condition this time.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: **

Hifumi groaned as she slowly woke up from her nap, hearing her mother's voice echo through the apartment. She squinted through sleep-ridden eyes as she caught sight of her in the kitchen, happily conversing with someone outside her field of view:

"Well now, I'm so relieved! To think the hospital had such a capable and kind intern to assist my daughter!"

No verbal answer came, though Hifumi didn't need any to understand who she was talking to. Slowly raising herself from the sofa, her movements were caught by Mom, who called out in delight:

"Oh Hifumi, you're awake? How are you feeling?"

Hifumi rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she noticed the blanket drawn over her, pulling it aside while answering:

"Better... when did you come here, Mom?"

"Oh, I got a call from this wonderful gentleman here that you had come home safely and I couldn't wait to see you. He's such a good man, you really got lucky with the hospital."

Hifumi glanced over to the stove, where Anders stood hunched over and busied himself with a steaming pot, his right hand occupied with writing into his notebook. She slowly moved over to the kitchen table, seating herself while her mother moved closer and began fussing with her appearance:

"Oh my, you look so famished! They never feed you anything good in hospitals, I swear! Thank goodness Hachiken is happy to help you with food."

"Hachiken?" she asked, wondering who she was referring to. She briefly glanced over to Anders, who raised a finger to his lips without letting her mother see it. Aware of what he meant, she tried her best with an expression that conveyed understanding.

"Yes... he's very kind... he helped me a lot in the hospital…"

"That's right! He's told me how he's been assigned by the doctor himself to watch over you. I had my doubts first about having a man care for you, but he's proved me wrong. The doctor even sent me a letter explaining the decision and I can't go against his word now, can I? Hachiken dear, what 'are' you making now? Please spoil this secret for an old woman!"

Anders merely shook his head while adding leeks to the broth, passing the notebook over for them to read:

_I can't tell you anything, Yumiko. Family secret. It will be done shortly, so please get bowls ready if you could._

"Of course! Hifumi dear, just stay seated, I'll get it done for you!"

"Oh, ok…" she answered half-heartedly, the reason being the familiar cage that stuck out on the living room floor, covered by a thick towel. Her heart began beating faster as she slowly shuffled over to it, pulling the towel up a bit and seeing Sojiro sit there, busy drinking from his canister.

"Sojiro." she exclaimed while opening the cage, Sojiro letting himself be picked up and petted without complaint, "I missed you. Are you happy to be home?"

Sojiro turned and stared at her for a moment, before settling into her hands, a move that meant he agreed with her. At least, that's how she perceived it.

"I'm glad. I'm sorry for... leaving you alone like that. I made you worry."

His only answer was a quick wiggle of his rear, making her breathe a sigh of relief.

"Hifumi dear, come wash your hands. Food's done!"

She turned around and saw how her mother just finished laying out the table, Anders coming up with her largest pot and placing it on a coaster. The inside was broiling with something that smelled delicious, the scent of leeks and other ingredients cleaving through the air. Hifumi quickly packed Sojiro into his cage again and moved to wash her hands in the sink, soon reaching the table and seating herself beside Anders.

Anders grabbed a ladle and began filling Hifumi's plate with the rich soup, chunks of vegetables and meat present alongside plentiful leeks. The aroma was bewitching to her, making her drool unknowingly.

"Hifumi come on, you're a grown woman. Wipe that drool off."

She gave a squeak, wiping her mouth quickly while blushing. It seemed however like Anders had not noticed her, instead finishing the servings and waiting for them to bring their hands together.

"Thank you for the meal!"

"Thank you... for the meal."

With that, they began to dig in, Hifumi blowing gently over her soup before eating. The moment the thick broth ran past her tongue, she gasped in surprise at the rich flavor, sensing each ingredient clearly as it rolled down her throat. She ate the next spoonful with vigor, soon enough finding her bowl tragically empty. It was quickly refilled though by Anders, who had written a quick note:

_Looks like you enjoy it._

She nodded vigorously, already looking forward to the next serving.

"Yes! It's delicious!"

He smiled warmly to show his appreciation, before looking startled when he glanced at the other side of the table. Hifumi followed his gaze, until it landed at her mother giving the biggest grin she had ever seen.

"W-what?" she stammered, only receiving a light-hearted shrug from her.

"Oh nothing. Just that Hachiken would be a pretty good pick if you would start looking for a boyfriend."

She had just swallowed a spoonful of soup the moment the word 'boyfriend' passed her mother's lips, forcing her into a coughing fit. Every cough she released echoed painfully in her chest, thumping against the scar which still hadn't fully healed. She felt a warm hand stroke her back, it slowly calming her down. Once she was back to normal, she eyed her mother with as much anger as she could muster:

"Stop... joking around already!"

To her surprise however, her mother looked deathly ill, as if seeing a ghost. She realized then that it was regret her mother was feeling, quickly moving to allay her concerns:

"Mom... I'm fine... I just had to cough…"

"No, I'm sorry. I should have thought ahead. I don't want you getting another attack."

It both pained and pleased her that she was being cared for so gently, though the former overran the latter.

"I'm not... a child... I can take... care of myself."

She was interrupted by a slip of paper entering her view, stating:

_She's just concerned. You might have a closed chest, but recovery will take a lot longer than what you spent in the hospital. So please consider her feelings._

She looked over towards Anders, whose smile was lacking any pity in it. It was a smile that felt respectful, soothing the anger she felt earlier. She slumped her shoulders and muttered:

"Mom... I'm sorry for yelling."

Her mother cringed a bit.

"Don't worry about it. I've dealt with patients like you before, so I should know how to behave. But when I think it's you, I... get emotional."

"It's alright... I'm not angry anymore."

The mood grew sullen for a moment when Anders suddenly rapped the table with his fingers. Both she and her mother faced him with curious expressions, him revealing another page with writing:

_Let's not dwell too much on this. We should be happy that Ms. Takimoto could finally return home. I promise to do everything I can to help her recover quickly. So do not worry, Yumiko._

It was impossible to overlook the gratitude in her eyes as Mom wiped them.

"Thank you Hachiken. That means a lot to me. I entrust my daughter's care to you."

Anders gave a serious nod, a glance from him making Hifumi blush again. She instead focused on eating the rest of the soup, the other two joining in. After they had stuffed themselves, Hifumi couldn't withhold a loud yawn. Mom chuckled as she saw it.

"I think somebody needs to get some sleep. Come on, I'll help you get washed and dressed for bed. Hachiken, would you take over the dishes?"

_Of course. I'll see you later, Ms. Takimoto._

"Yeah…" was all Hifumi could mutter before Mom took her out towards the bathroom. The process of getting her undressed and showered was slow, mainly due to Mom's hesitancy in touching the region with her scar. Hifumi couldn't blame her either. It was an ugly thing, several inches in length and forming a raw bump where otherwise smooth skin lay. She still didn't know what to make of it, the sign that she had almost died haunting her every day since the heart attack. Soon enough though they had her dressed in her favorite pajamas, dark red with wisteria flowers. It was a pattern she adored since a young age. Mom helped her cross the apartment to her bedroom, stopping once they saw Anders seated by Sojiro's cage, inspecting the hedgehog as he clambered around his little home. He pulled the towel over him however as he saw them approach, giving a cheerful wave that she returned with a small smile.

"Oh, Hachiken." Mom commented with a hopeful tone, "Tell me, where do you live? I can take you back home if you want once I brought Hifumi to bed."

He gave an appreciative smile but shook his head, pulling out his notebook:

_I have a car of my own. I'd prefer that Ms. Takimoto first take her pills for the afternoon. I can take care of it from here._

He produced one of her pill racks and a bottle of water from his pocket, Mom giving a pleased sound from herself.

"So diligent! As I expect from an intern!"

Luckily, Mom didn't notice the twitch in his expression, instead moving over to her bedroom door and holding it open to her. Hifumi noticed how Mom slowly let go of her, turning to see a satisfied expression.

"Well, I think I'll head home then as well. I still need to do my own shopping. Hachiken, please continue to take good care of my daughter. I'll come back as often as I can Hifumi, ok?"

"Just... don't go skipping on work…"

"I won't, honey. Now then, if you'll excuse me."

With that, she left for the foyer, giving a final wink that made Hifumi's cheeks burn. She rushed into her room, only to see to her surprise it being extraordinarily orderly. She recalled having a lot of her stuffed animals thrown around, only now they were in neat rows along one end. Her posters of Moon Ranger were still in full display, though she was too tired to make a fuss about it. Within the next minute, she was already in bed and under the covers, Anders beside her with the tablets and glass. Somehow, she managed to swallow them without issue despite the rough texture. Satisfied with her completed duty, Anders helped her relax into bed and scribbled a note:

_I'll be taking my leave as well soon. You can reach me anytime with your phone, I promise to be there as soon as I can. I'll be back in the morning, your mother decided to give me a key to enter. Is that alright?_

She gave a nod, him sighing in relief before seating himself next to her. Just as she wondered what he was doing, he extended his hand out towards her. She stared at it blankly, until he realized her confusion and explained:

_You said last time you'd prefer me to stay until you fell asleep. Do you not want that anymore?_

Hifumi didn't know what to panic about first, the fact that she had held hands with him or the idea of him never doing it for her again. Unable to speak, she shot out her hand and grabbed his own, it sufficing as an answer for him. He gave a warm smile and lowered their hands onto the bed, Hifumi only thinking one thing:

_Please don't let this be a dream. Please, don't let this be a dream._

The squeeze he gave her hand was enough to convince her it wasn't, falling asleep almost straight away as her mind was enveloped by warm, comforting thoughts. She had no idea when he let go of her hand, yet the warmth she felt never left her dreams.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Putting on her bravest face, Hifumi stood before Anders and uttered with all the energy she could muster:

"You sure... you don't want my help?"

_Takimoto, you still aren't well. I promised you we would do something together afterwards, so please be patient._

Her fifth failure this morning at helping make breakfast, Hifumi slumped onto her chair with a pout. Several weeks had passed since she had returned to her apartment, Anders keeping his promise of watching over her without fail. He woke up early enough for it to be dark outside and only left when she had fallen asleep for the night, helping her get her tablets through the day without missing a beat. He also insisted on doing the cooking, making numerous dishes both Japanese and European that she enjoyed immensely despite feeling guilty. She had found out by accident from Mom that Anders was deliberately making dishes that aimed to boost her recovery while low in salt, courtesy of his quick training that he respectfully withheld from Mom. She again felt unending gratitude for him and his consideration, so far not having had any incidents of significance.

Yet, that gratitude was burdened by events like what was about to occur.

The doorbell suddenly rang in the apartment, Anders finishing up the food on the pan before heading over to check who it was. It didn't take long though for him to return in a panic, slamming the living room door behind himself.

"W-what's wrong?" she asked, worried there was a criminal at the door. He hastily typed out an answer for her:

_Rin and Yagami. Help._

Hifumi gave a sigh as she struggled to get up, slowly making her way to the door he had just closed.

"Fine. Just... hide for now."

He nodded before dashing off to their agreed hiding spot, turning all the appliances off beforehand. She had been hesitant about him hiding the first time she received a visit from Aoba a few weeks ago, but his pleading had won her over in the end. So she agreed to him hiding in her closet under the condition that he put on a blindfold. She didn't want him to find out about her cosplay hobby, still finding the topic far too embarrassing to tell him about. Once he vanished, she moved to the hallway and unlocked the door, revealing precisely who Anders said was there.  
"Hey, Hifumin. Still kicking, I see."

"H-hi, Yagami, Rin." Hifumi said with genuine tiredness in her voice, "I didn't expect... you to come by."

Yagami gave a grin as she raised a box of confectionery.

"We thought we'd hang out a bit with you. It must be lonely, sitting home all the time without company. Don't tell Sojiro that."

Hifumi giggled lightly, aware she couldn't spill the beans on her pseudo-roommate and stepped aside.

"W-well, come in... I was just making breakfast and.. there's too much."

Yagami and Rin excused themselves as they entered, Rin immediately picking up on the scent that wafted from the kitchen.

"That smells amazing. Should go well with the cakes as well."

"T-thanks. I'm trying out a new recipe."

She guided them along to the table, her burdened movements still clear as day. However, she had found out to her relief that she was slowly getting better at them. She didn't get exhausted as quickly as before and her breathing had improved as well. She tried to get them to sit down while she prepared the table, but both refused vehemently. Forced to once again sit in silence while they did everything for her, she watched glumly as Rin brought the food while Yagami set up the table for three. They sat down and said their usual greetings, before beginning to dig in. As expected, Anders' food tasted as good as ever, Hifumi giving a pleased squeal from herself that made her blush scarlet. Yagami didn't pick on it though, only laughing without a hint of ill intent in her voice.

"You sound like a schoolgirl. Is the food you make that good normally?"

Realizing the danger in the question, she fought to keep her head on straight while answering:

"N-no, but the... recipe was much better than expected."

Rin leaned over the table, a curious glint in her eyes.

"Could you tell me it? I'd love to use it for me and Kou sometimes."

"I…" Hifumi began, before Yagami cut her off.

"Oh come on Rin, wait with that. Not like you're in a rush for new recipes."

Rin gave her an admonished look.

"Of course it's important Kou! I mean, we're…"

Rin suddenly fell silent, playing with her fingers while Yagami suddenly showed a pink tinge on her cheeks. Hifumi only needed a moment to figure out what was going on.

"A-are you two... together now?"

Rin almost screamed in what Hifumi presumed to be glee, while Yagami gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah, something like that."

"Kou! What do you mean, 'something like that'? You're the one who asked me out!"

"Shush, you!" Yagami exclaimed while trying to plug her mouth. Hifumi stared at their antics for a while, before giving a giggle that made both fall silent.

"That's a... surprise. For Kou to be asking you out... I thought she'd never…"

"Right?" Rin exclaimed while acting unusually giddy, "I didn't believe it either. But she just comes up to me last month and tells me…"

"Oi, that's private Rin!"

"Oh come on, Kou! At least tell Hifumi about it!"

"I said no!"

Rin began to pout, crossing her arms and making Yagami sigh deeply.

"Sorry for the noise."

Hifumi felt herself become flustered, waving her hands wildly before her to dispel any bad thoughts:

"N-no, it's alright. I'm just... surprised you realized Rin's feelings."

"Yeah well, a lot happened the last few months and it took me some time to get my own feelings in order."

Her expression grew a bit darker as she said it, Hifumi somewhat aware what she was referencing but not pointing it out.

"I… see. Why did you tell me now though?"

"Ah well, you see," Yagami began, still pink, "We wanted to tell you straight away, but we knew you had just been released from hospital and didn't want to stress you out. So Rin and I decided to be the first ones to tell you."

"That...explains why Aoba was so eager to say something…"

"Yeah, she and the others figured it out pretty quickly. Not like you could hide Rin hugging me every two minutes."

"Well excuse me for being happy!"

"I wasn't criticizing you, just pointing out that my arm is almost numb from all the grabbing."

"I'm just making sure you don't go anywhere."

"Where would I even go?" Yagami asked, only now aware that Hifumi had been staring at something beside her the whole time in shock.

"Hifumin? You ok? Is there something…?"

She was about to turn around when Hifumi let her fork drop on the plate, the sound turning them back in her direction.

"N-no, it's fine. I just… thought I saw a bee fly around. Must be my imagination."

"A bee? All the way in the city?"

"L-like I said, I must have imagined it. A-anyway… let's finish eating, the food's getting cold."

Neither of them complained, digging in with as much energy as Hifumi herself. She couldn't help but send a worried glance over to her bedroom door, which was thankfully closed now. Once they finished their meal, the cakes came out in all their splendor, Hifumi enchanted by the strawberry one that glistened red. As diligent consumers, they pushed their way through the cakes, Hifumi already sensing her stomach complain. She ignored it though, giving a satisfied sigh at the end. Rin moved to stand up, Hifumi catching her eying the empty plates.

"I'll clean them... You're the guests, let me... at least do that much."

Rin sent a worried glance, but Hifumi's glare convinced her otherwise, instead only discarding the cake package while Yagami decided to watch Sojiro eat from his bowl.

"Hey Hifumin." she heard Yagami say with intrigue in her voice.

"Y-yeah, Kou?"

"How old is Sojiro anyway?"

"He's... four years old. Nearly five."

"Wow, so you've had him since entering the company, huh?"

"Y-yeah. Mom said... it'd help with me living alone if I had a pet, but... dogs and cats were too scary."

"And you went for a hedgehog of all things? Don't get me wrong, he's cute," she said while being lightly pricked by Sojiro's spines, "but it's funny how out of all the males you have trouble with, a hedgehog's one you can. All cute and sweet on the inside but surrounded by spikes that make it hard to approach."

A mischievous smirk crept on her face, making Hifumi begin to fear for her life.

"Don't tell me, your taste in partners is the same?"

Hifumi's vision turned scarlet as she stammered out:

"W-what are you saying?"

Yagami giggled to herself, only to be shot down by Rin's disapproving glare.

"Sorry, just teasing a bit. I was just wondering what brought it on when you began to talk to Anders without trouble. Was he really the same way as Sojiro in your eyes?"

The change in topic almost made Hifumi stumble over her words, thankfully restraining herself before she said anything dangerous. She moved to seat herself, beginning to fumble with her fingers:

"Just... a little bit."

Now both Yagami and Rin eyed her with interest, though Yagami's eyes were a slight shade gloomier than before.

"Anders... never came across as intimidating… he was kind... fun and easy to talk to. I know I said he was like Sojiro but... that wasn't the whole truth."

"How so?"

"He always… struck me as someone who always smiled... despite how he really felt... someone who hid a lot from others. So I wondered to myself 'Why is he hiding it?' every time we talked. I never… found out what it was, but I was always curious. I suppose that's why... him leaving hurt so much. I never got to figure out what I could do to help him."

A quick glance showed Rin looking sympathetic. Yagami however, looked outright disturbed for a moment.

"True." she murmured, "He could really be a mystery sometimes."

"Kou?"

Yagami shook her head, producing a wide smile instead.

"Never mind. Come on Rin, let's go. Hifumin, you must still be tired right?"

"A-actually..."

But she never got to finish as Yagami grabbed Rin's hand, making the woman squeal in surprise.

"That's alright, we understand. We'll tell the others you're doing better. It's good to see you again Hifumin. Bye."

They quickly left for the foyer after that, Rin's questions to Yagami falling on deaf ears as Hifumi watched them put on their shoes and exit through the door. They were gone before she could even say goodbye, the door closing on her words. As she stood there, still confused as to what happened, she heard the bedroom door open. She turned around to see Anders enter the living room, looking depressed.

"They sure left quickly. Are you… alright?"  
He nodded, before handing her the opened notebook and moving to the kitchen for the dishes. She stared after him for a bit until she caught the first few words on the page:

_That was uncomfortable. I promised you we'd do something today, so please go put on your gym uniform and overalls. I'll wait for you by the door._

She read the message twice with a confused look. She had no idea why he would need her to wear her sports clothes, but she decided that he knew what he was doing. As she went to get changed however, she realized something that made her blush with shame.

_He knew I had a gym uniform… which means…_

She rushed as fast as her heart would allow, swinging her closet doors open with a flourish. To her dismay, she saw her gym uniform and overalls hanging all the way in the front, right next to her Moon Ranger outfit. A note was hung on her gym shirt, picking it up to read:

_Please wear this. I like your taste in shows, by the way. Sorry for peeking._

She groaned and fell to her knees, covering her face in embarrassment and wishing she could sink into the floor.

A while later, she finally picked up the confidence to put her clothes on and head over to the door, Anders having waited patiently for her. She quickly put on her sneakers and followed him out of the apartment, asking in the meantime:

"W-where are we going?"

He looked back at her, before scribbling a note:

_It's a surprise. Just wait, you'll like it._

Now genuinely curious, she followed him as they departed the apartment complex and began to walk down the nearest road, Anders marching as if he knew the route from childhood. Hifumi checked to make sure nobody could see her gym uniform underneath her overalls, already embarrassed enough that she was walking outside with them. She had bought them on a whim, never expecting to use them.

Their walk took a good ten minutes, eventually leading them to an open park with trees placed densely around the edges. The park was decorated with a makeshift baseball field in the corner, while small mounds dotted one whole side. The most striking thing about it though was the white track painted onto the ground, forming a large rounded rectangle. As she continued looking around herself, she caught Anders pull out his notebook, revealing a paragraph he must have prepared in advance.

_Here we are. This is a public park for young athletes and school teams to train, so no playground fortunately. We'll be spending some time here every day to train._

"Train?" she asked, not sure what he meant. He instead urged her to keep reading:

_You'll be doing running exercises here. With me supervising, of course._

"Running? Me?" Hifumi already felt faint at the prospect. "But I'm terrible at it. I couldn't run well even before the attack."

_It's partially the reason you had the heart attack in the first place. I've been helping you regain your energy for a few weeks now to give your body reserves for when you're pushing yourself. We need to make sure what happened over a month ago doesn't repeat itself. Therefore, the doctor suggested you pick up running._

"He did?"

_Well, he suggested the activity and I found this place. There aren't a lot of people here around this time, so we'll have it mostly for ourselves. We won't do anything drastic straight away, you need to get used to it first. For now, please take this._

He pulled out a blister packet and a small bottle of water, Hifumi recognizing it as one of her tablets for controlling her heartbeat. It took no time at all to swallow the tablets and have him guide her towards the running track. Anders paused to await some form of confirmation from her. She nodded to show her understanding, although she was still hesitant. She had deliberately avoided physical exercise due to her anxiety of being seen, and it had ended with her losing her own heart. So now that she was carrying a new, stronger heart, she was supposed to train the rest of her body to keep up?

Anders noted her worried expression, taking her through a series of stretching exercises that gave her body just enough strain to feel it without being too unbearable. Once he was satisfied, he began to march down the track, Hifumi following him at an equal pace. As they finished walking half the length, Anders picked up a conversation topic:

_I wanted to point out, your mother and Eagle Jump are aware of these training exercises. However, I can't have them find out you're being trained by me while you're recovering. So while you're not home, the story is that you're receiving private training by an unnamed professional in the hospital._

"I... see." she said with a sullen tone, suddenly feeling saddened by something. She pondered what it was, before remembering a question she'd been wanting to ask.

"Anders? Can I... ask a question?"

He nodded in response.

"Why did you hide your true name from my mother?"

He gave a small grimace, quickly writing an answer:

_Because I found that she is acquainted with Hazuki. Your mother receives regular texts from her, asking how you're doing and such. If she was to let slip that I was with you, there's no telling what might happen._

"Then... why do you continue to hide? Why not tell Kou or the others what you're doing for me?"

His grimace this time was clear as day.

_Because I still feel like I betrayed them. Yagami, Hazuki, Aoba. I feel like they expected great things from me and I failed. I was pulled into the job because of their good-will and ended up ruining it by running due to my own fear. So I feel I have no place with them. You saw Yagami's reaction when you talked about me, right?_

"Yes, I saw also that you... had opened the bedroom door."

_Then you know that especially Yagami doesn't want to see me again. She actually found me in the graveyard the day you nearly died._

Hifumi gazed at him in shock. She had no idea this had happened, Yagami having kept quiet about it.

"W-why didn't she tell us?"

_Because she said she wouldn't. She caught me at my most vulnerable and decided that I had removed all chances of ever reconciling with her. So as a final favor, she promised she wouldn't tell anyone where I was. _

"But why then was she so... distant when we talked about you? It looked like something... really bothered her."

The atmosphere around Anders suddenly darkened, making Hifumi shrink back a bit. She worried about having stepped on a landmine, until he wrote back:

_That's because she found out about something that really disturbed her. Something I've never shared with people before. She saw it without advance warning and it made her reconsider a lot about me and my actions._

"M-may I ask what it was?"

Anders suddenly stopped, gazing up into the sky with a depressed stare that made her even more uncomfortable. After an awkward few minutes, he pulled out his phone and typed something in it, before taking off at a brisk pace. She wanted to follow him, but first pulled out her phone from her pocket to check the message. The words she read though shocked her to her core.

_Six years ago, I lost my mother, my friend Yumina, and my wife Sayuri in a car accident. I was the driver and only survivor. _

She stared at the letters with a horrified expression, before refocusing her attention on Anders, who was already back at the park entrance. She decided on not running, instead moving at a brisk pace that barely qualified as a walk. When she came within twenty feet of Anders, he suddenly took off again at the same fast pace as before, forcing her to continue after him. They kept this up for almost the entire stretch of the course, Hifumi sensing her legs growing weak after half the distance while her breathing became heavier. She pressed on however, Anders unrelenting in his march. Soon enough, they began to approach the point where she had begun her fast walk, her mind already clouded by her own exhaustion.

"W-wait…" she panted, before falling to her knees. Her heart pounded painfully against her ribcage, sounding like some foreign object.

_Oh wait, it was._

She barely caught anything of her surroundings anymore, the world having become fuzzy for her. Hearing her heart pound made her begin to panic, before she caught herself and began the breathing routine she had gotten so acquainted with.

_Release all the air in your lungs. Inhale through nose and hold for three seconds. Release through pursed lips and relax muscles._

She did this over and over, her heartbeat slowly coming back to a normal pace while her body was caked with sweat. As she fought to regain control over her body, she sensed somebody leaning over her. Unable to see who it was though, she lowered herself onto the ground, the fight having taken the last of her energy. She therefore gave no resistance when the figure began to lift her onto its back, Hifumi marveling briefly how wide it was while her arms hung over the front. It began to take long steps across the field, its stride steady and gentle with each step. A final shred of her consciousness woke her to the possible danger she was in. It gave her enough strength to rip her eyes open, glancing up at the sudden height she was at. It was disconcerting to see the world from such an angle, easily a foot higher than what she was used to. Yet what surprised her even more was the person carrying her.

"Anders..." she whispered, him grunting in acknowledgment before continuing to walk. She moved to say something, only to be held back by a shake of his head. Sensing that he couldn't talk even if he wanted to, she resigned herself to leaning more on him, wrapped in the intense heat his body gave away under his shirt. She maneuvered her grip around his neck slightly to ensure she was secure, before resting her body in his grasp. In the end, she felt comfortable enough to give up her caution, snuggling into his shirt while murmuring:

"Anders... thank you again for everything... you're doing so much for me and yet... I can't do anything else but collapse on you. I still... feel so weak."

He couldn't speak, but she felt his grip on her tighten a bit.

"That's why… please give me time. Give me the chance to prove to you... that I can do something for you as well. You always… look so tired when you're smiling. I want to change that... because I care about you... regardless of what you tell me. You don't have to be alone with what you carry."

That used up the last of her energy, falling into a dreamless sleep that held nothing for her but darkness. She sensed Anders' body trembling before she lost all touch with reality.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7:**

Mom's imploring gaze bored into Hifumi while both hovered at the front door of her apartment.

"You're sure you want to do this?"

"Yes Mom. I'll be fine."

"Are you really sure? You can still wait a week or two…"

Hifumi vehemently shook her head in defiance.

"I've already been gone for over two months. I can't let myself fall behind any more…"

Mom kept gazing at her in worry, Hifumi already trying for the tenth time to split herself from her. Another five weeks had passed now since her first time running. She had returned to the field every day, Anders making her do the same routine over and over until he noticed her beginning to get used to it, adding another lap in response and a repeat in the evening. She felt completely drained after each session at first, often requiring Anders to take her on his back again. It was becoming clear though already after these few weeks that her endurance had increased. She no longer panted for breath after the first lap, finding it easier every day to carry herself through the apartment without feeling lethargic. Her pride over her improvement had culminated in her now assisting Anders with meals. It had become a fun project between them to test who could cook the better food, though Hifumi still restrained herself to not risk becoming too exhausted. She could also perform activities for a lot longer before needing to sleep, having helped immensely with reorganizing her sleep rhythm for the day. Before, she'd fall asleep numerous times, causing her to often wake up in the night with little to do but read or play with Sojiro. Now however, she felt ready to at least enter her workplace again.

"Come on... I'm going to be late…"

"Oh no, at least not before you get your lunch box!"

"Lunch box?"

She had completely forgotten about making one, having been too eager to go to work. At the same time as Mom mentioned it, Anders came from the kitchen, a wrapped box in his hand and a note in the other:

_Yumiko is right, you need something to strengthen yourself, Ms. Takimoto. I made you a lunchbox for today that should keep you energized for the day. Should you not feel well though, please do not hesitate to contact Yumiko so she can pick you up. I will be at the hospital and therefore unable to attend to you until this afternoon._

"I still worry about her Hachiken!" Mom complained, "Should she really go already? It hasn't been that long after the…"

_Yumiko, this is Ms. Takimoto's decision. If she thinks it's the right choice to go, then we should not stop her. If she overexerts herself, then you know we have the best people for the job on the phone._

"Still, should we…?"

_It will be fine. I shall drive Ms. Takimoto myself to the company and see that she arrives safely. You can rest assured._

It looked like Mom still had something to say, but she let it go with a deep sigh.

"Oh fine, I can't stop my grown daughter from making her own decisions. But be careful, you hear me?"

"Yes Mom, I will." Hifumi said with no small amount of relief in her voice. Anders gave a grin, before removing the apron he wore and putting his own shoes on. He handed her the lunch box and opened the apartment door, letting her out first while he waved farewell to Mom. She remained at the doorway until they began descending the stairs, Hifumi unable to hide a proud smile on her face as she recognized her body being finally able to walk down them without feeling unstable. Her first attempt had been disastrous, Anders having to rescue her from falling down the flight and breaking her neck.

They soon reached the car and began the drive to Eagle Jump, Anders occupying his hands with driving while Hifumi looked out through the window. It truly felt weird to finally be heading to work after so long. She was unsure if she was even able to hold the tablet pen properly. Yet she couldn't let herself be weighed down by the fear of returning. She had bills to pay, after all. Her savings had saved her these last few months, but money was growing tight. She never mentioned this to Mom, but she had to begin work again before she was in serious trouble.

It felt like a drive around the corner, yet they soon ended up at a very familiar street. She peeked through the window and noticed the sign of Eagle Jump ahead, along with a small group below the sign. Her eyes widened a bit as she recognized Aoba, Hajime, Jun and Yagami, all of them busied in conversation while taking occasional glances around them. Anders stopped the car a good stretch further down, turning to Hifumi and giving a pained smile while writing:

_I can only take you this far. Don't forget your lunch box and your tablets. _

"I won't. Are you sure you want to…?"

One look from him sufficed as an answer. She sighed and gripped the car door, when a sudden wave of anxiety hit her. She felt her breath become shorter and more ragged, her fear over the suddenness only worsening the attack. Yet as she fought against it, she felt Anders' hand on her shoulder, his gaze warm and comforting as he mouthed a word.

_Breathe_

She immediately began her routine, her heart rate and breathing returning to normal after a few excruciating minutes. Once she felt calm again, she remained seated, her mind filled with questions why she suddenly reacted like that. She had so far only experienced these attacks during her hospital stay. As if reading her mind, Anders wrote an answer for her:

_Since your time in hospital, you've been largely free of constant human contact, spare me and the hospital staff. In addition, all the visits you've received up to this point have been from friends and only in small groups. The prospect of entering a building full of people on your own can have caused your mind to subconsciously panic._

"I... I see."

She felt ashamed. Ashamed that all her hard work up to this point to recover had been seemingly for naught. She thought herself as better, as someone beyond the stage she had been at before. Reliving this anxiety began to drag her down the spiral of depression.

Her dark mood was washed away when a warm hand touched her arm, looking up to see Anders at the other end. The smile he showed this time was somewhat different this time. It felt warmer, less pretentious.

_You don't have to worry. These small attacks will likely happen often enough in the future, most without warning. It is an unfortunate side-effect of your recovery, the fear of anything happening that might stress you out. Should something happen again like now though, just stick to what we practiced. Breathe and imagine something comforting._

Hifumi let a memory of her first week with Sojiro rise to the surface, the happiness she had felt during those days lifting her spirits again. She waited until the memory had removed the last of her hesitation, before flashing Anders a sweet smile.

"Thank you. Again... for everything."

He grinned while trying to hide a small tinge to his cheeks, the sight enough to make her giggle. She eyed the car door once more, before taking hold and opening it in one swift movement. She exited quickly so she could close the door and have him depart without anyone catching sight of her at first. She watched Anders' car fade into the distance, passing by Yagami's group without so much as anyone glancing at him. Giving a sigh of relief, she took a few deep breaths and began to walk towards the others, Aoba already having noticed her.

"Hifumi!" she called out, jumping over excitedly in large steps that still equaled only a normal step for Anders. Hifumi couldn't suppress a smile as the pig-tailed girl came to a stop before her.

"You're really here! I was so worried when I heard you were planning on starting work already. You sure…?"

Before she could finish the sentence, Hifumi gathered her courage and interrupted:  
"Yes, Aoba, I'm fine. I want to see how well I can still work after two months. Thanks for coming to pick me up."

Aoba's eyes widened slightly in surprise before she broke out into a endearing grin.

"Alright! Come on, everyone's waiting!"

Hifumi nodded as they walked over to the building, the rest already awaiting them. Halfway there though, Aoba commented:

"You look... different somehow, Hifumi."

"What?" she said, slightly taken aback by the comment. She worried at first whether her scar was visible somehow through her clothing when Aoba elaborated:

"Well, it's like you're...more determined now. You walk more confidently as well than... before. Have you been training?"

Hifumi was about to circumvent the issue when she almost got tackled by Hajime.

"Hey there!"

"Alright, reel it in Hajime." Jun said while pulling at her jumper, "You're going to scare her."

"Oh…" Hajime looked genuinely remorseful for a second, before Hifumi butted in:

"It's fine, Hajime. It's good to see you."

Now the rest of the group gazed at Hifumi in astonishment, Yagami breaking the silence:

"What's happened with you, Hifumin? You sound so much more... confident."

Her comment irked Hifumi a slight bit, who retorted with a pout:

"Is it weird that I'm confident about coming back to work?"

"Wha...no, no, not at all. Just weird to see you like this, that's all."

It was clear Yagami felt awkward now, Hifumi however unable to do anything else but giggle.

"It's alright, I'm not mad. Come on, I want to see my desk again after all this time."

Nobody argued against it, instead asking her a plethora of questions that she struggled to keep up with all the way up to the office. By the time they reached the sliding doors, she was well and truly out of breath. Everyone seemed to grasp it, keeping their words to themselves as she took her first few steps into the company, only to come across Rin and Hazuki mired in conversation. Both their faces exploded in joy when they caught sight of Hifumi, Hazuki rushing in and giving her a soft hug.

"Welcome back, Takimoto. Are you better?"

Hifumi gave a nod as she split from Hazuki, staring directly into her eyes.

"Yes, Hazuki. I'm glad to be back."

Hazuki's eyebrow raised itself by a small margin, though she didn't comment.

"I see. That's wonderful to hear. Your workplace has been cleaned so you don't have to worry about picking up behind yourself. Me and Rin were just discussing what to let you help with for today."

"Did something change in the plan?"

"Well," Rin began while nervously scratching her chin, "the producer was beside himself with worry when he heard about your accident. So while you were recovering, he began making some rather …'eccentric'... requests to change the work pace. He said that he had been letting us work for too long for too little, so he forced us to restrict our work hours."

"What?" Hifumi exclaimed in shock, "but that means…"

"Yep." Yagami popped up behind her, "We're not allowed to work for longer than seven hours in the day. Which means things like my all-nighters are a thing of the past. I don't even get to discuss it with him, he's that adamant about it. If I try to stay, he sends security after me."

The word 'security' astonished Hifumi. It seemed that, after the scare over the cyber-attack, Eagle Jump had instated some new safety measures. Rin picked up the conversation from Yagami:

"This means also that we're falling behind schedule for when we planned to release the game. We've tried everything to get the producer to return to normal hours, but he's refusing all suggestions."

"This...this is all because of me…" Hifumi mumbled while she began to tremble. As if sensing her distress, everyone began to crowd, bombarding her with comments:

"No, it's not your fault!"

"Yeah, it's the stupid Producer who's not listening!"

"He's causing us to fall behind and he doesn't realize that!"

Hifumi's mind began to spin as she tried to organize the voices, her heart rate increasing sporadically again. She knew what to do though and raised both hands while having her eyes closed, exclaiming with as much authority as she could conjure up:

"Everyone, be silent please!"

They shut up straight away, even Hazuki looking shocked at her outburst. Hifumi began her routine again, repeating it a couple times before her heart calmed down. Once she was satisfied, she opened her eyes and faced the rest with renewed determination. She had made her mind up.

"I'm going to go talk to the Producer. Please let me through."

"What are you...?" Hazuki began asking, before being interrupted:

"I want to tell him that I'm perfectly fine and that he doesn't need to take out his concern on others just because he is worried about me. So please, let me go see him, Hazuki. He should be in today, right?"

"W-well, yes, but…" Hazuki stammered, before again flinching at Hifumi's confident smile.

"Then let me see him. I don't want to burden this company with my problems any longer. If you would."

Hazuki looked ready to say more, before deflating and nodding to her to come along. Hifumi sensed the eyes of nearly everyone in the company watch her as she made her way, only to stop when a familiar voice echoed to her right:

"Wait a minute, Takimoto."

She turned to see Umiko stand at the entryway to the Programming Team, Nene nowhere to be found. She waited patiently as the tanned woman scrutinized every inch of her, feeling the pressure of her gaze yet not bending before it. She was glad that all the training she was carrying out with Anders had not only given her the strength to move properly again, but also given her the confidence to face people directly without feeling immediately pressured.

Umiko's eyes slowly centered themselves on Hifumi's own, before a smile crept up on her face.

"I see you've grown up. What a good stance you have right now."

Hifumi didn't answer, merely nodding in confirmation. Umiko's smile widened as she turned around and waved a hand.

"I have nothing to say to someone so determined. I guess it's true that people are reborn when close to death. You are looking wonderful today, Takimoto."

Hifumi blinked, before gratitude welled up inside her and she bowed.

"Thank you, Umiko."

"You can call me Ahagon."

Hifumi thought she had misheard.

"W-what?"

"You heard me. I've given you special permission. Be thankful, there aren't many I permit to do this. Now go speak with that damned producer, I can't finish anything these days thanks to his stupid hour restraints."

Momentarily stunned, Hifumi slowly recovered and bowed once more before following a dumbfounded Hazuki to the Producer's office. Hazuki knocked on the door before announcing:

"Producer, I've come with Takimoto. She wants to speak to you."

A nasally voice behind the door exploded with unbridled energy:

"Then let her in damn it!"

Hifumi cringed a bit as she fought against the decibels, Hazuki looking oddly used to this response.

"Very well, sir. Takimoto, you can go."

Hifumi nodded, taking hold of the door knob and about to open the door when Hazuki's voice echoed once more:

"And please, take care of yourself. He can be...intense at times."  
Hifumi had guessed as much from the first time she heard his voice, but she gave Hazuki a grateful nod and turned the knob, entering the darkened office and closing the door behind her. The moment the door clicked, the light in the room turned on with full intensity, blinding her momentarily while the voice from before called out:

"My dear Takimoto! It's so good to see you!"

She squinted through the light to recognize a man seated at a metal table across the room from her, occupying less than half the chair with his spindly figure. His fingers were more akin to skin-colored sticks, reaching out like the branches of palm trees. The thin spectacles that decorated his angled face didn't suit him in the least, almost falling off his face while he repeatedly adjusted them on his way towards her. The fact that he stopped himself midway and retreated told her enough of how he regarded her. Unwilling to let herself be looked down at, she instead marched over to him and extended her hand.

"Producer. It is good to finally meet you. Pardon my absence."

The producer gazed at her in astonishment, before slowly taking her hand and shaking it, albeit so he stood as far away as possible.

"No, the pleasure's mine! I'm glad to see you up and about! I'd feared the worst when I heard about your situation!"  
"I noticed. If possible, could we... sit down?"

He flashed another smile before waving her past, Hifumi seating herself on a comfortable armchair with a small sigh of relief. The producer sat down on his own recliner, an intrigued expression dancing on his face.

"So, Takimoto, how can I help you? Is there anything in your workplace that you require or some form of refreshment? Just mention it and I'll have it brought to you!"

Hifumi cringed slightly at his continued high volume, but cleared her throat and soldiered on:

"Since I'm here, there is something I wanted to...discuss."

"Ask away, Takimoto! I am always available for my employees!"  
Raising an eyebrow in surprise, Hifumi sent out her question:

"Why do you push so hard to tread around the truth, Producer?"

His bright expression froze in an instant, evidently not having expected her to catch on. Hifumi thanked Anders for teaching her how to more closely examine people's emotions based on their expression. It had been a small game for them to perform when relaxing together.

"What truth, Takimoto?"

"Simple. You are treating me like I'm fragile. Like I'm in danger of collapsing in front of you and having... another heart attack."

Forcing those last few words out had been painful, but Hifumi needed to say them. The color began to drain from the Producer's face as he tried to come up with an argument:

"Well, Takimoto, I can understand your suspicion but please. I merely want to make your first day at work comfortable. You were told to take it easy after the 'incident' after all."

"Producer. Call it what it is."

His eyebrow twitched. Hifumi couldn't explain why, but seeing it began to irritate her. So she picked up the thought that lingered in her mind.

"I hope you don't intend to continue this treatment. I for one don't appreciate... being considered fragile."

"I assure you, I had no…"  
"No Producer, I'm afraid you do. Otherwise, you would not take such a distance and refuse to shake my hand. You wouldn't be offering me refreshments and better conditions if you weren't afraid that I might... make a formal complaint."

That drained the remaining color from him, Hifumi using it to finish her point.

"I can assure you, the accident was caused by nothing else but my own faults. I do not think one should punish the whole company merely to avoid concerns of possible legal implications. I for one wasn't under company insurance... back then."

"I understand but still, I wasn't intending on…"

Hifumi had enough. She leaned forward and hit the table surface as hard as she dared, causing the Producer to widen his eyes in shock.

"Producer, I will not repeat myself." she began, letting her emotions for the first time take control over her against another, "I wish to be treated as any other employee in this company. If I require any additional assistance, I will let it be sorted out through my doctor. So please... cease these shortened work hours that you've enforced."

"You want me to what?" he gasped in a dismayed voice, "But Takimoto, your health…"

"...will not be affected by reducing the hours I am permitted to work. It makes little sense in my view to enforce such rules on other employees purely because of my own mistakes."  
"Takimoto, you mustn't talk about your condition like that. The accident you suffered…"

"... was a result of my own ignorance, not the company's. I am getting tired... so please arrange it that we can return to our usual work hours. The company… will otherwise only suffer in the long run."

The producer leaned back in his chair, squeezing the bridge of his nose while having his eyes closed. Hifumi didn't speak up, wanting to calm the light trembling in her chest. She had never done something like this before. To speak against someone, to _correct_ them. The sensation of having guided the conversation, rather than merely be led along, filled her with a mixture of pride and fear. She had no idea what to expect now, after having talked down to the producer of all people. Hazuki might have forgiven her, knowing her character. Here however, she was treading on extremely thin ice. She feared seeing a flash of anger and a loud declaration of her being fired.

Hence, her own surprise when he sighed and faced her directly, looking more burdened than ever before.

"You are a remarkable woman, Takimoto. It would seem I've underestimated you."

"I'm sorry?"

A smile slowly surfaced on him, somewhat unfitting given his appearance.

"I would only like to ask you one thing. Are you sure that you will be alright with the previous arrangement?"

"Yes." she answered immediately, hanging on to her last thread of confidence to not falter, "If I find my health is unable to maintain the pace, I shall inform the company in due time. For now... I shall test myself and see."  
He nodded while making a slow full turn in his chair, regaining the energetic glint in his eyes as he finished the rotation.

"Very well. I shall allow the others to return to their usual working hours. You are excused Takimoto."  
"Thank you Producer. And a good day to you."

Hifumi stood up and moved to leave, only to halt when his voice echoed in the room again.

"One more question if you don't mind. What brought about this sudden change in attitude? I heard you were far more withdrawn beforehand. This proactive behavior is... new."

Hifumi spent a good while unmoving, less for dramatic effect than that she couldn't come up with a reasonable answer. She had merely wanted to go to work and see how well she was with handling her usual workload. Instead, she'd gone and talked down one of the top figures in the company for his decisions. Her mind raced with the attempt to find logical reasoning to her actions, only to find there weren't.

At the same time, she felt her heart rate rise again, the sudden spike causing her to draw short breaths and grab the back of the chair she had just sat on. She turned halfway to the producer, unwillingly allowing him to see her panicked expression.

"Takimoto!" he exclaimed, rushing over to her side, "Are you alright? Shall I call…?"

Yet his words were silenced by her raised hand, glaring at him to be quiet. He took the message, staying at a distance as she followed her routine once more. Again and again, she controlled her breathing, until she felt that her heart had calmed down once more. Blinking a few times, she sighed and stood tall, facing the producer now with a resolute expression.  
"I'm alright now. Just a small spell. They will happen from time to time, but I can control it mostly without help. I will inform the others about what to do should this happen again but rest assured. I will be fine."

A significant weight dropped from the producer's shoulders as he relaxed his posture. His eyes still carried some degree of concern, but it was overshadowed by relief.

"Thank God. I feared the worst."

"It's... normal to think that. But they are never a great danger unless I fail to control it."

As Hifumi wiped her brow, she found her mind far calmer than before the panic attack. She sent a mental letter of thanks to Anders, only to have a thought strike her.

"Producer…"  
The man glanced up as she gave a warm smile.

"Yes, Takimoto?"

"I think I know why... I feel so different these days."  
"Being?"

Her smile widened.

"I am very lucky to have a kind and patient caretaker to help me recover. They've been encouraging me from the very first day and have never left my side. Seeing how much effort they put into getting me back on my own feet, I felt the need to prove just how much I can improve. I've been able to take part in activities that were impossible for me before not because of physical limits, but because of my own fears. Being able to learn about the things I never got to experience before, I almost don't feel unhappy about having had my heart attack."

His eyebrows shot up, Hifumi believing for a demented second that they would fly off and touch the ceiling. They quickly returned to their normal position however as a low chuckle escaped him.

"I see. Then I suppose you have a lot to thank both yourself and your caretaker for. Send them my regards for having helped you recover so much in such a short time."  
He extended a hand, Hifumi eying it for a moment before grabbing it. They shook twice, the movement gentle but firm. As they let go, Hifumi found that she wasn't looking at her superior, but just another person. He moved to the door and opened it for her, shouting out into the hallway:

"Hey you guys! Roll up your sleeves, we have a game to finish!"  
He was swiftly intercepted by a hand striking his head, the perpetrator being none other than Hazuki who had stood right at the doorway. The producer groaned as he rubbed his skull, leaving Hifumi startled.

"If you yell in my ear one more time…" Hazuki grumbled with an irritated glare, before noticing Hifumi behind him. Her expression softened immediately as she pushed him aside and grabbed her hands with a concerned look.

"Takimoto, are you alright? He didn't stress you out too much, did he?"  
"I'm right here, why aren't you asking me?"

"Shut up, you." she snapped back at him. Hifumi couldn't subdue her giggle, making both people stare at her.

"I'm fine, Hazuki. The producer promised to stop limiting the work hours from now."

"I gathered." she answered while glaring at the producer, who tried and failed to look innocent, "Did you realize what a fool you are with your decisions sometimes?"

No answer came from him, who retreated into his office with a grumble. Hazuki sighed as he closed the door behind himself.

"That man never listens. Anyway, Takimoto, did he really go back on his word?"

"Y-yeah. He was a bit...intense like you said, but I managed."

"You realize that makes you a better person than me. I can't be in the same room as him for longer than ten minutes before blowing a fuse. Makes me wonder just when he's going to drop the bomb and fire me."

Hifumi gave a dumbfounded look, never having heard something so personal from Hazuki before. She usually kept information about herself cryptic. They didn't get to talk further though, Hifumi being swamped by Aoba and the others as they demanded to know what had happened.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8:**

That evening after work, the only emotion that Hifumi's mother could express was shock.

"You're kidding, honey."

"I'm not."

"You really went and shot down your producer for his own decision? And he didn't get angry at you?"

"Yeah, like I... said."

Hifumi was having trouble speaking, between shoveling food down her throat and fighting back her exhaustion. Anders had made hamburgers in celebration of the day having gone well, currently busy washing off the pan and utensils while Hifumi and her mother chatted over the dinner table.

"I still can't believe you of all people would do that. You've grown so much in these last few months."

Mom's words caused Hifumi to stop for a moment, the piece of hamburger attached to her fork still hanging in the air.

"Really? Everyone else... said the same today."

"I'm not surprised. I mean, you used to be so meek, even with me. So having you go and talk down your own producer after a heart transplant of all things is the last thing anybody expected. Just what have you been feeding her, Hachiken?"

Anders glanced back with a proud smile, causing Hifumi to blush again. He wiped one hand to write out a response, putting the notebook on the table before returning to his chore:

_I haven't done anything out of the ordinary. It's a good sign that she is taking her recovery seriously and wants to improve. I am also astonished that you pushed yourself this far on your first day._

"Agreed! Hifumi dear, are you thinking of going back to work tomorrow again?"  
Yes...I talked with Hazuki and she agreed...to let me work a normal shift for the next few days...to see how I manage for the time being."

"That's wonderful!" Mom exclaimed while ruffling her hair, causing another blush to creep up on Hifumi's cheeks, "My darling girl, grown up so much! Hachiken, you deserve a raise, whatever they're paying you!"

Both Hifumi and Anders cringed at her comment, though luckily Mom didn't notice it. Hifumi quickly finished up her plate and moved to hand it to Anders, who accepted it with a smile that sent her straight back to her chair. Mom suddenly yawned as she looked at her watch.

"Oh dear, it's already so late. I need to get home, I have an early shift tomorrow."

"Will you... work as well... instead of coming over here again?"

"What, are you growing tired of your old mother?" she said teasingly, gently pulling at her cheek. Hifumi squirmed as she tried to release herself to no avail, only to hear china touch the table. Both women glanced down to see two full teacups, the aroma bewitching for Hifumi's mind as she inhaled it.

"Smells delicious." Mom commented to Anders while raising the cup to her lips, "What flavor is it?"

_Rosemary tea. I tend to drink it after a long day to help relax my mind and body. I hope it brings you the same effects._

"You're too kind, Hachiken. Well then…"

Mom took a sip of the tea, giving a pleased sound. Intrigued herself now, Hifumi moved to drink some. The first sip she swallowed was bliss in liquid form. It ran down her throat like warm honey, wrapping around her entire body and washing her of her stiffness. She wasted no time drinking the rest, giving a satisfied sigh as she finished. Mom, who had already emptied hers, stood up and ruffled Hifumi's hair once more.

"I probably won't be able to come by again for a while. Please remember to take care of yourself. Ask Hachiken if you need anything, alright?"

"Yes, Mom." she said with an incredibly relaxed voice, surprising herself. Mom gave a chuckle as she moved to the living room door.

"Good night, you two. Hachiken, the tea was wonderful, thank you."

He waved her off as she closed the door behind herself, leaving the two of them alone. Hifumi was still enamored by the taste of the tea, barely catching sight of Anders looking out into the starry sky.

"Are you... alright?"

He glanced towards her, the smile on his face hiding something for sure, and scribbled on his notebook:

_Just a bit emotional. It's nostalgic to hear about someone's time at work after a long day._

Hifumi eyed him carefully, before taking the notebook and writing on it:

_Is it because you're reminded of Sayuri?_

His gaze hardened slightly as he read the words, yet he didn't lash out. Instead, he sighed and began writing with a distinct weakness in his movements.

_Yes. I used to finish earlier than her so I'd often make dinner on days where she came home late at night._

_Do you miss her?_

_I do. Even though I shouldn't._

_Why?_

She knew she was stepping into dangerous territory, but her boldness today had given her newfound strength. She hadn't prodded him about the accident since he revealed it to her. To her relief, he didn't put up too much resistance.

_Because every time I remember her, I get reminded just what a fool I was._

_That can't be true. You're such a kind person, there's no way somebody wouldn't be happy with you._

_You're funny. I thought so too, until the day came when I realized she looked at someone else more fondly than me._

Hifumi's eyes widened as she caught his meaning.

_Cheating?_

_No. Not at the time at least. It could have been, had I not caught it early enough. But it was my presence which doomed them all in the end._

_Why are you saying that? You said it was an accident, right?_

_That's not the whole truth. The crash itself was an accident, but my actions afterwards doomed those three to their deaths. I wasn't strong enough to keep them alive. I carry the responsibility for that, since I was the only one able to help._

_Anders, please. If you are telling me this, then will you explain what you mean? I don't think you could ever be held responsible. I'm sure you did your best to help them._

_You think so, after seeing this?_

She read the last entry in confusion, before noticing him rolling his sleeves up. She gasped as she saw his otherwise healthy skin torn and ripped into scars of unimaginable size, twisting and turning around his arm like snakes around their prey. It was a gruesome sight and Anders' own expression contorted, before covering himself again.

_I received these scars in my attempt to stop the car from falling down a cliff. I held on with all my strength but only succeeded in ripping nearly all the tendons in my arms. I was stuck in the hospital for months afterwards, the arms I had tried to sacrifice for the people I held dear limp at my side. But it seems like my feelings weren't enough. I let the car roll down that cliff. I had to listen as my wife and her new love, along with my own mother, died in an explosion. Compared to the pain and horror they must have felt, what point is there to look at my wounds?_

The pieces that had floated in Hifumi's mind for the last few months had finally begun to settle, forming a half-finished picture of the situation. The moment they began to lock into place however, her heart overflowed with compassion and sympathy for him. She raised herself from her seat and walked over to where he sat, before wrapping him in a hug. He jerked back, evidently startled by the proximity, until he listened to her speak gently:

"Anders... thank you for telling me... I know you must have suffered terribly."

He didn't respond, only shuffling closer towards her as he relaxed his posture.

"But you don't have to hide it all from me anymore... I'm here for you, just as you are here for me... I want to bear your burden along with you... Please, look at me."  
She pushed him away briefly, taking a deep breath and beginning to undo the buttons of her blouse. Anders moved to stop her, but she shook her head.

"No... I want to do this…"

He slowly lowered his arms, forced to watch as she gingerly undid the last button and pulled the fabric aside, revealing her red underwear and the even redder scar between, running the entire way from her collarbone down to where her stomach began.

She grabbed his hand and guided it to the scar, allowing him to trace it carefully. His eyes were lost in thought as he let his fingers rest on the rough skin, allowing her to speak up:

"Had you not showed up to help me, I would never have received this scar. I would have been dead, lying amongst those buried around me in cruel irony. Without you, I would never have made it as far as I've done. You covered for my transplant in the hospital, you taught me to control my anxiety around people, you took care of me while I was still unable to even walk properly. Every step of my recovery, you've been there to support me. It's time I returned the favor and helped you."

She let his hand go and buttoned up her blouse again, before kneeling and embracing him in a proper hug this time. His body trembled with what she could only believe to be fear.

"So please, don't hide from me. I want to support you just as much. It's alright to trust me."

Her words gave the final blow. His body sacked as he leaned against her, wrapping her tightly while his body shook with sobs. The tears that came out of him were near endless, pouring out with uncontrollable force as they soaked her clothing. Yet she didn't care, continuing to hold him close while he released all the emotions that had been building up in him.

They kept going for what must have been ten minutes, until he finally began to calm down. He slowly separated himself from her, his face a mess. She giggled while pulling out her handkerchief, wiping his eyes and nose so he looked halfway normal again. As she did so, he gently grasped her hand, holding it in place. She blushed as she stared deep into his eyes, reddened from tears but still piercing with their aquamarine blue. He guided her hand to his lips, before gently kissing the tip of her fingers. She turned scarlet as he continued kissing the length of her hand, not relinquishing his hold until he reached her wrist. They were close now, close enough that she could feel his breath against her skin. She trembled as her heart slowly began to increase in pace again, though this time she let it continue. She couldn't break the moment that the two of them were having right now.

Then, he slowly released her hand and produced a smile, the first true smile that she had ever seen from him. He grasped his notebook and wrote a quick sentence, turning it towards her:

_Would you like to know a secret?_

She read the words carefully, before nodding. His smile widened into a grin, taking a deep breath.

Only to shatter her world as he whispered into her ear:

"I love you, Hifumi."

She couldn't speak, ironically, so surprised was she. It was even more difficult when he began to chuckle, evolving into full-fledged laughter as he embraced her once more, causing her body to shake with the vibrations. She felt an urge overtake her, eventually laughing herself as she hugged him back. They remained in this awkward position, laughing their hearts out until they had to stop for a lack of breath. As they calmed down, Hifumi checked her chest for any lasting damage but found none. She looked deep into Anders' eyes that were now clearer than ever before.

"How…" she began, only for him to interrupt her:

"... can I speak, you wonder? Simple, I never was mute in the first place. I only pushed that idea onto myself to hide from the truth."

"The truth?"

"When I woke up in the hospital, I lost all ability to speak. Nothing I wanted to say ever came out of my throat, constricting it like a python. It caused me no end of trouble and anger from some people, who I understand now as having done it for the sake of me breaking through my shell. But I couldn't push through. For six whole years, I secluded myself amongst my own thoughts, continuing to work and help people like I've always done before. And it helped distract me from the pain and misery I felt every day. But just as I couldn't shake the mental burden, the physical burden also crippled me. To this day, I couldn't remove myself from the house Sayuri and I had lived in. I holed myself up in a quiet bar almost every night, wasting time like a fool. I began attending first-aid courses, a result of me trying to somehow make up for my lack of training during the accident. It only brought me more pain however and thus, I lost more and more of my will to live. I honestly don't know what I would have done had it continued."

His distant expression then lit up a certain amount.

"But then, I came across Fairies Story. It was almost therapeutic for me, to see characters drawn with such detail and care that they felt truly alive. And it above all brought me a new light in my life. That being none other but Yagami Kou."

The puzzle was nearly complete as she realized what the interactions between Yagami and Anders before her accident had been hinting at.

"That means…"

"Yeah, I had a crush on her. A big one as well. In all honesty, it was this which enabled me to keep going for all this time, to look towards the next day in anticipation. Until the day I first met her in the bar I always frequented."

He gave a deep sigh, standing up and guiding her to the sofa. As she seated herself, he moved towards Sojiro's cage and picked him up, surprising Hifumi with the lack of protest from the small hedgehog. He sat down next to Hifumi and began stroking Sojiro gently, who gave a squirm to show his appreciation.

"That month since our first encounter went by so fast. We met again by chance, before agreeing on the partnership and doing our best to try and bring it to fruition. We would meet up in the evenings in the same bar, her beginning to open to me bit by bit while I tried to do the same. But no matter what I did, I couldn't break the chains that bound my voice and heart. When the disaster with the cyber-attack occurred, I thought I had finally bitten off more than I can chew. You know, I had actually planned the attack myself."

"What?" she nearly yelled, shocked by the sheer idea.

"Just another one of my many crazy plans. I wanted an excuse to quit my job so I could join Eagle Jump and work with the person I adored. But it was close to never happening. I ended up protecting her from a group of people set on harming her directly. They tried to plant the evidence I created against her."

Hifumi couldn't believe what she was hearing. What he said sounded unfeasible, yet it was said with such sincerity that she couldn't doubt it.

"So you handed yourself in... for her sake?"

"The things people do for those they cherish. When I miraculously escaped judgement, I was of course relieved. But I knew my reputation had been permanently tarnished by my actions, and thus my hopes were faint of ever harboring a career like before. Then I received the invitation to join Eagle Jump, all thanks to Yagami. That back then made me happier than ever before."

A smile adorned his features which encompassed several emotions. She could feel both gratitude and happiness, but also regret and irritation within it.

"I thought then that I could finally begin to open myself to her, to reveal my true feelings. That week I spent with you all was true bliss, me being able to enjoy myself without restraint. Until the next Monday came and I again felt the shackles of Sayuri bind me with panic."

"Then... those breathing exercises you taught me…?"

"I had learnt to carry them out myself to deal with the backlash of my trauma over the crash, which had occurred on a Monday and hence gave me nightmares that I normally could handle . But no amount of preparation could have helped me against the sensation I felt that day nearly three months ago. It felt like it would consume me, swallow what I just gained and turn it into something twisted. So I ran, hoping that nobody would be able to find me until I finished saying my farewells."

"You mean... in the graveyard."

His grip on Sojiro tightened somewhat, making the little hedgehog squeak and form his signature ball, Anders' expression showcasing regret.

"Yeah. Sayuri and the others are buried there, together. I used to go visit them every Monday, using the silence to calm my nerves. I sat there that week, writing my farewells when Yagami came out of nowhere, demanding I tell her what I was doing. I thought she wanted to know why I resigned. But instead she gave me a final chance to confess, to explain the truth behind my actions. And I blew it."

As he said those words, it was as if a weight lifted off his shoulders, his speech coming across slightly lighter now:

"I couldn't do anything. I could only stand and stare in shame as she said her final farewell and left, never looking back at me. I knew then and there that the crush I had secretly harbored all this time was nothing more than a fancy, a fleeting hope that my life could be normal again. I stood there for what felt like an eternity, before I slowly made my way back to the car. Only to find you on the ground."

He extended a hand and grasped hers gently, her squeezing it in return while fighting her body's demand for sleep.

"When I saw you, I thought my world was going to crash all over again. I called the ambulance and did everything I could to keep you alive. I only recently remembered it, but it was already back then that you broke the chain of my voice."

Hifumi slowly began to recall the voice she had heard before losing consciousness. She thought she had imagined it, but now she knew better.

"You called out my name back then. I could hear it."

"Yes. I buried it in the back of my mind though as I fought to get you stable again. My voice remained with me up until the ambulance arrived at the hospital, at which point I had already sunk back into myself. When they mentioned how you were to be put on life support, I was beside myself with anger. I cursed myself for having pushed you so hard that you ended up in this situation, all because I was a coward who couldn't face his own demons. Then when the news of a possible donor came by me, I begged them to undertake it, all so that you one day could return to having a normal life. It was the least you deserved, after having been so kind to me and pushing yourself so far for my sake. I spent most of my savings on paying the transplant, but I didn't care. I knew I had to save at least one person from this mess I caused. And that person... was you Hifumi."

Sojiro, having slowly uncurled at this point, raised his head to peek at the two blushing humans before him, before shaking his head and rolling down towards the ground. Neither of the two noticed his movements as he slowly made his way to his cage, having learned long ago how to climb back in. He felt nothing but exasperation for the awkward couple behind him and decided he was better off sleeping.

Hifumi, meanwhile, couldn't see anything through her blush. Her body acting faster than her mind could react, she took hold of his arm and leaned herself against him, performing a quick routine to control her breathing. As she did so, she felt Anders chuckle once more, glancing up to see tears in his eyes again.

"Anders? What's wrong?"

"Sorry. It's just... when I heard you were going to recover, I was overjoyed. I wanted to help you get better through any means, even if I had to sacrifice everything I had left. Not only the chance at a stable future, I even sent a warning to my family to not contact me, all to avoid having to face them after the stupid stunt I pulled. It was idiotic, I know. I removed myself from everything in life but you, dedicating all my energy on making sure you could return to a normal life. And the longer I spent time with you, the more and more I began to recognize the feelings you held for me. That first night I held your hand, I didn't go home. I fell asleep on the floor next to you."  
"W-what?" she stuttered, feeling horribly guilty now for having left him like that. Yet he only shook his head.

"Relax. I just couldn't forget the warmth of your hand and didn't want to lose it. It comforted me, during a time where I had next to nothing to concern myself with except your recovery. Then during our first day of training, I unwittingly opened to you about the accident. I didn't realize it until I already sent the message, but by that time I was already trying to walk away from you, scared what you might say to me. But that only culminated in you collapsing again, all because I got agitated and made you strain yourself more than you should have. I again felt so horribly guilty when I took you home, believing myself to be hopeless until you spoke to me."

He wiped the last of his tears away, his gaze upon her now back to the clear one from before.

"Those words you whispered to me comforted me more than anything else since the accident. You heard my secret and didn't demand more answers, but merely thanked me and expressed how you cared for me. They didn't just soothe my heart, they made me fall completely for you. And tonight, I made my choice."

His blush deepened, Hifumi finding it astounding how her own face could get any hotter. They remained like this for some time, before a buzz echoed in the room, revealed to be Anders' phone. He opened his phone to a text message, giving a sigh.

"W-who is it from?"

"Yagami. She wants to sit down and talk with me. Tomorrow."

Unrest dug its way into Hifumi's chest as she contemplated the sudden move.

"D-do you think she's…?"

"Trying to ask me out? Doesn't know that I'm still in town? Fat chance. She likely just didn't get everything off her chest and wants to tell me how she finally asked Rin out. I was shocked when I heard how long that had been going on between them. But I'm ignoring her for tonight."

"W-why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" he said with a smile, "I need to give you your tablets for the night and help you to bed. It's another work day tomorrow after all for you and I still need to go home."

He moved to stand up, only to be dragged back down by Hifumi. As he turned to her in surprise, Hifumi steeled herself and said the words that had hung on her heart for the last few months:

"If... if you want... you can stay the night... I don't mind…"

_Great, you've said it. Good going, Takimoto Hifumi._

As she berated herself for her frankness, she heard Anders laugh quietly.

"Well then, I suppose I can't deny a request from you. I am after all hired to cater to your every need."

"This... isn't part of it."

"I know, I was just teasing." he said while kissing her hand again, "Come on, you still need to shower and get ready for bed. I don't have a change of clothes with me, so you must live with me in my boxers. Do you think you can handle that?"

He had asked the question half-seriously, aware that she still needed to be careful with her heart. Yet strangely enough, Hifumi's heartbeat was calm as she answered:

"Yes. I think I can."

Giving an intrigued look, Anders smiled once more and gently pulled her upright, having completely forgotten that Sojiro had already entered his cage and closed the door behind himself.

"In that case, shall we?"

He pulled her along gently towards the bathroom, opening the door when she pulled him in from behind.

"Anders?" she mumbled into his shirt.

"Yeah, Hifumi?"

"I love you too."

It was hard to tell whose blush was stronger, hers or his.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9:**

The next morning, Hifumi awoke to a bed no longer empty. She felt a great heat beside her, warming every corner of her body. She turned her head to find Anders asleep next to her, dressed in a simple shirt and boxers. She felt herself blush as she stroked his hair, pushing a strand out of his eyes while he breathed soundly.

"So cute." she murmured, continuing to pat his head gently while she shuffled closer to him. She checked her heart for any aberrations, finding nothing to her relief. While they hadn't taken things further last night, her mind was still reeling from the kisses he had placed upon her hand, tracing the areas with her own lips as if soaking his scent into her. She immediately felt stupid for thinking like that, sensing her cheeks burn with embarrassment and buried herself in his chest. She almost gasped as she realized how wide his shoulders were, able to envelop her without trouble. Her surprise was nothing however compared to the shock when his arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her waist and pulled her even closer, looking up in panic to see him smile warmly.

"Good morning, Hifumi."

The sheer sound of her name from his lips made her heart soar, but she pushed it back down to return the greeting:

"M-morning Anders. Sleep well?"

"Like you wouldn't believe it. I think it's time we got you fed though. Those tablets don't come from nowhere after all."

She gave a light groan as she bumped her head against his.

"You're still so careful around me. I wouldn't forget them at this point, you know."

"That's what you think. I know how easy it is to forget your medication one single day and ruin several weeks' worth of treatment. Now come on, let's make breakfast at the same time."

"Five more minutes…"

But her pleas fell on deaf ears as he extracted himself from her, shuffling out of her bed and stretching high enough to touch the ceiling. She used to feel a bit envious of his height, no longer however since the time she saw him hit his head against the doorframe. The sound itself had frightened her off for good.

"Nope, no skip days." he chided like an overprotective parent, "I won't have my beloved girlfriend come out of her routine just because she happened to find herself a dashing boyfriend. Come on."

She tried to fight back once more time, until submitting to the power of sunlight as he pulled open the curtains. Yawning loudly, she stepped out of bed and grabbed the tablet rack from her bedside table, joining Anders in the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of water and swallowed the pills with trained ease, downing the entire glass at the same time. It was a habit she had developed after a near-accident had led to one of the pills getting lodged in her throat.

Slowly feeling more awake, she joined Anders in preparing breakfast, them deciding on the simplest variety of rice, toast and eggs. As they sat down on the table and dug in, the sun continued to creep up along her balcony window. Hifumi let her eyes wander towards outside, the same happening with her thoughts.

"What is it? Eager to get out on the track again?"

She returned her gaze to a grinning Anders, shaking her head slowly.

"No, just... still unable to believe this happened…"

"The accident, the recovery or us?"

"All of it... I still feel like I've been dreaming for a very, very long time."

His gaze grew more solemn as they exchanged eye contact, slowly reaching over and squeezing her hand softly in his.  
"It's all real, Hifumi. As much as I myself think this is a dream, it is very much reality. I'm both unbelievably happy and incredibly scared of what might happen in the future, but I will take strength from this hand that I hold."

She gave a warm smile in response, placing her hand over his and returning the gesture. They remained like this for a good few minutes, each soaking in the warmth of the other, when Anders' phone buzzed again on the countertop.

"Again with her." Anders sighed, opening his phone and proving his suspicions with a frown, "Yagami isn't letting up. She wants to see me tonight without question."

"Shouldn't... shouldn't you answer her then? I think... it might be a good idea."

He raised an eyebrow at her statement.  
"You think? After everything I've done?"

"Especially after what you did. It... isn't fair to the others to continue hiding like this. They deserve to know, just as you deserve to be forgiven... in my opinion."

"Forgiven? Me? I still have a hard time believing that."

She moved to speak yet was preempted by him raising her hand to his lips for another kiss.

"But if you believe that it is the right thing to do, then I trust you. I'll tell her to meet with me then. Not just her though, I have others to apologize to."

"Good idea. Where do you want to meet?"

A shadow passed over his expression, before he responded:

"Someplace I haven't been to in a very long time. I need to prepare myself before going, but I know Yagami will understand. You want to come with, I'm sure?"

"Yes." she said with complete confidence, "I want to talk to Kou myself. There's… something I need to clear up with her."

He looked surprised for a moment, before returning to his usual smile.

"Got it. Well then, shall we finish up and go for training? I might make you attempt four laps this time."

She grew a shade paler.

"Really? Can't it just be three?"

"I won't let you slack off just because we're together now. You need to constantly push your body so that you can move beyond the stage you were at before the accident. You're still not quite there yet."

"I feel like I already am though."

"Just your imagination. Never let your goals be blinded by expectations. Now come on, the eggs have gone cold."

They quickly moved to finish breakfast, washing the dishes and getting dressed in record time. As they left the building Anders kissed her on the cheek, causing her to turn scarlet and begin chasing him out of embarrassment, him happily skipping along before her with the most relaxed expression she'd ever seen on him.

Their training took less time than usual, thanks to the fact that she was both motivated to do better and that Anders had begun to allow her to jog. It was a welcome change from the constant fast pacing, allowing her to use her legs more fluidly. After completing her rounds, even the dreaded fourth one, without incident, he gave her a special offer to return home on his back. She refused however and instead walked briskly back, him having to run after her to keep up. She felt a proud smile form on her face as she showed enough endurance to make it all the way back home, only needing assistance while climbing the stairs. That didn't matter to her though. She was getting stronger, she felt it. She could grow beyond the limitations that a new heart set against her. It was then that she had come to realize just how much she had changed from that timid, shy girl only a few months ago.

Once she finished washing up and getting dressed, Anders awaited her patiently by the car, no longer needing to watch over her at every corner. She had just descended the first flight when a voice called out to her from behind:

"Excuse me. Are you Takimoto Hifumi?"

Hifumi turned around to see a rather odd figure one flight above her. Her silver hair was pulled up into a tight bun, the bartender outfit making her stand out without question. As she wondered whether it was cosplay, Hifumi caught sight of the elderly features that surrounded a pair of brilliant prismarine eyes, watching her with a gaze that seemed to reach beyond the mortal realm.

"Yes, I am. Can I help you?"

Hifumi was glad that she could still speak without stuttering, despite her heart having quickened in pace. She felt it wasn't at a critical level though and listened as the woman spoke up in her melodic, enigmatic voice:

"Pardon me for hindering you. I merely wish to ask you a brief question regarding Anders Tansuke, if you don't mind."

The sound of his name surprised Hifumi, who didn't know whether to trust or suspect the woman. She didn't know of any enemies of Anders, nor had he ever told her. Yet she decided it was better to be cautious. The woman seemed to notice her distrust, giving a smile that knew just a bit too much for comfort.

"I am not here to interrogate you, please relax. Your condition is still not perfect. I only wish to know whether Anders has informed you on his decision to leave the city. Can you answer that for me?"

Her question put Hifumi off-guard, the world freezing over in her head. It must have been clear from her expression, for the woman smiled even wider.

"I see that you yourself don't know. Well then, let me no longer disturb you. You have a long day ahead and you will need all your energy, I gather. Farewell for now."

The woman turned to head back up the stairs, Hifumi calling out before she could vanish from sight:

"Wait! Who are you? Why did you tell me this?"

The woman glanced back down at Hifumi, her smile growing ever more mysterious while a strange glint appeared in her eyes.

"My name is Maria. You will come to see me again soon enough, Ms. Takimoto. For now, I wish you a good day at work. Send my regards to Anders, I do wish to see him again someday."

With that she disappeared around the corner, Hifumi chasing after her as fast as she could without stumbling. As she looked around the corner though, she stared in disbelief as nobody was there. It was impossible, the arrangement of the stairs requiring someone to be visible until they crossed at least twelve feet. Yet no sign, nor sound, remained of the strange old woman. Staring at empty space in confusion, Hifumi suddenly heard a car horn echo outside the apartment, scrambling to get back down to the car.

"S-sorry!" she exclaimed as she came to a stop, Anders only watching her in amusement.

"You're still early, relax. What kept you so long?"

"S-someone wanted to talk to me."

"A neighbor?"

"N-no. I don't think so at least."

His expression showed considerable thought, before he shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, no point in standing around. Tell me more about it while we're heading to work. I can at least speak with you during the ride this time around."

"That's true."

She giggled, entering the car and waiting for him to begin heading down the main road to work. Her thoughts quickly became clouded however as she thought back to the question the woman had asked her. Her mind filled with doubts, something that she hated these days.

She turned towards Anders, him occasionally glancing in her direction, before asking the question that weighed her mind so terribly:

"Anders, are you planning on staying here in the city?"

The car rocked as he accidentally pressed the brake, jolting her forwards. As she reclined in her seat again, she noticed him making a troubled expression.

"Sorry. What made you think otherwise?"

She was about to divert from the topic, before realizing what the woman had meant.

"You said you don't have a job yet, but you still live in the house that you and Sayuri used, right? Doesn't that mean you can't pay the rent, after having paid for my transplant?"

His jaw tightened slightly as he made a turn, it evidence enough for her that she was on the right track.

"So it's true. You're struggling to pay your bills because of me and need to find another job. And because of your record from the cyber-attack, you likely can't find employment anywhere here since they would have heard about you."

Every word seemed to strike him like physical blows, each one causing her fresh pain in return. His eyes began to darken, his grip on the wheel tightening until she could hear the leather squeak in protest.

"Hifumi…" he began, but she didn't let him continue:

"So you're thinking of leaving, aren't you? You need to go work somewhere else, maybe even outside the country. And that's why you're also pushing my training so much. You want me to be as fit as possible so that you can move on without a bad conscience. You said you wanted to stay with me, yet you already planned to leave me."

She couldn't hold her tears back anymore, the silence which permeated her sobs only cementing the reality she had caught up with. Anders didn't speak, continuing to drive as if he had never broken out of his shell in the first place. The mood sank further and further until they reached Eagle Jump, Anders parking in front of the building this time. As she tried to wipe the tears off her face, feeling her makeup run down in streaks, she heard him rummage for his phone and type something. He didn't say anything while he sent the message, merely typing out another one for her to read:

_I've made my decision, Hifumi. I will show you what that decision is right now._

He handed her a handkerchief, accepting it gratefully and cleaning off the last of her destroyed makeup. He stepped out of the car at the same time as her, shuffling over so that the two of them faced the building directly. She had no idea what he was planning, but the determined look in his eyes gave her a sense of dread. A scenario crept up of him handing her over to Yagami and Rin, before entering the car again and driving off for good. She didn't even know where he lived still, so she couldn't follow him. The thought made her tremble with fear, causing her heart to act out of control again. He offered no shoulder of comfort though, watching the doors while keeping his arms crossed. Remembering her training, she used her breathing to calm down again, only this time having extensively more trouble doing so. It was as if something was stuck in her throat, preventing her from breathing normally. The clump remained until she saw the doors open, revealing two people she knew very well.

"So it wasn't a prank." Yagami declared as she stepped out, Hazuki right behind her while scanning Hifumi's expression with stern eyes. It was an unusual sight, Hazuki usually being either too casual or too loose with her coworkers. Yet now, she looked all the part of a Director.

"Takimoto." Hazuki began, before altering her target to Anders, "I see you have come before us again, Mr. Tansuke. What is the meaning behind Takimoto's tears?"

Her voice carried a dangerous undertone to it, as if threatening Anders into having done something criminal. He ignored her words though, focusing on Yagami instead. She did the same thing, their gaze silent between each other for what felt like ages until she sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"So, what's this supposed to be, a showdown? Why are you together with Hifumin? Did you say something to her to make her like this? Do you have any idea how worried she was about you? How much she wanted to see you before you vanished?"

Each of her questions tried to strike him down like Hifumi's words earlier. Yet he weathered her blows, his gaze unyielding as he watched both women return gazes of unsuppressed anger. It therefore surprised them all when his face broke out into a grim smile, before speaking in a clear voice:

"You said you wanted to speak with me, Yagami? Well, you're getting your chance. Along with you, Hazuki."

Both women stared open-mouthed at him, neither believing what they had just heard. Hifumi couldn't help but feel a bit tickled by the reaction, despite her depressed mood.

"You..." Yagami began stuttering, before Anders stopped her:

"I'm not talking with you here though. We're moving location and I'm deciding. I don't think you two have any problems with that, right?"

His words came across as a challenge, both flinching a bit at the tone but returning the same stare as before. Hazuki then gave a nod and stepped forward, icy determination in her eyes.

"Very well. But I expect a complete explanation. Including why you made one of my girls cry."

"You'll get your answers. Now please, come with us."

He turned on his heel and entered the car, Hifumi almost in sync with him while the other two glanced at each other. They eventually entered the car themselves, making the space inside appear somewhat cramped for the first time. Not a word was exchanged while Anders drove down the next street, eventually arriving on a road she recalled quite well. It was near empty at this time, the neon signs for different bars turned off until night approached. He parked the car near a small alley, Yagami giving a surprised sound from herself.

"Really? Here?"

Her tone was less questioning than confused, Hifumi sensing there being more to this area than she knew. Anders didn't answer, stepping out of the car and awaiting them by the alleyway entrance. Hifumi and the others followed, Hazuki throwing an arm around her in support that she accepted. She still felt torn apart inside from her earlier revelation, thus she dreaded anything that came her way now, as it could merely be speeding up the process to the future she didn't want to envision. Once they were grouped up again, Anders guided them down the dark alley, Hifumi slowly catching sight of a light down it. A sign soon cropped up, its flowery lettering forming a name she had never heard before.

"The Masked...Glass?"

"Yeah." Yagami answered, her gaze distant as she read the sign herself, "A strange bar that only appears when its customers require guidance. But why is it here now? It shouldn't appear when groups come."

Hazuki didn't comment, her own gaze reflecting something indescribable as they came to the open door. Light piano music echoed from inside, inviting them further in. Anders took the first step in, Yagami following him while Hifumi and Hazuki entered last. The moment her eyes adjusted to the dimmed lighting inside, Hifumi stared in wonder at the nature-themed decoration around her. Everything seemed to have been grown out of the ground instead of placed there, the light scent of nature hanging in the air. As they all came in, a melodious voice spoke up:

"I see we have a gathering today."

Hifumi turned around to the window to see Maria from earlier seated at a high piano, her appearance unchanged from before. She wondered how she could have made it all the way here in the short time since she first saw her, the thought however displaced by Anders speaking up:

"Hello Maria. It's been a while."

The bartender's smile froze for a moment, her evidently not having expected him to speak either. The expression lasted only a moment though as she shook her head.

"It has indeed been a while Anders. I did not know you regained your voice. When was this the case?"

"Only yesterday. I would like to order another time though. I need to speak with these people privately."

"I see. I shall leave you to your business then. But spoil me one thing Anders."

"What is it?"

"Do you have any regrets about what you're going to do?"

All watched as Anders shook his head.

"By the end of this, I will not. I promise you."

"Then my role here is done. Good luck."

Maria bowed once more and departed for the back of the bar, entering through a door almost hidden in the paneling. Anders meanwhile guided them to a round table with a long sofa surrounding it, seating himself first next to Hifumi while Yagami and Hazuki took over the other side.

"So." Yagami began, her eyes no longer wandering the length of the bar's interior but solely focused on Anders, "What do you have to tell us? I hope you know what you're in for, after the way I had to go lie to everyone about it."

"I presume you told Hazuki the truth?"

"Yeah. I couldn't hide anything from her. I'm surprised you asked to see her of all people as well."

"I had a hunch. It's not difficult after you get to know a person."

"That's rich, coming from you."

"I'm aware of your anger towards me for having been so secretive. But before we end up in a shouting match, let me explain what I've been up to since vanishing nearly three months ago."

"Anders," Hifumi interrupted, tugging gently at his shirt, "Are you sure?"

He stared back at her with dead seriousness.

"I'm positive, Hifumi. This is for your sake as much as mine."

She nodded and remained silent, noticing Hazuki's raised eyebrow at her. She ignored it though as Anders took a deep breath and began:

"When Hifumi was hospitalized, where was she found?"

Yagami looked surprised for a moment, before answering:

"A park near the hospital."

"That's a lie. I told the hospital staff to tell you that."

"What?" Yagami nearly jumped at him, before being stopped by Hazuki's hand blocking her.

"Continue, Mr. Tansuke. I'm sure you had your reasons."

"Thank you. The truth is, Hifumi was found in Tama Cemetery. And the person who found her was none other than me."

Neither Hazuki nor Yagami could hide their astonishment at the reveal, Anders pressing on without letting himself get interrupted:

"I administered first aid and called the ambulance that brought her to the hospital. And when it was found she could get a heart transplant, I opted to pay for the surgery. I can see you're shocked by the fact, but I have no regrets about doing it. Hifumi ran across the city without pause, searching for me until she could no longer move and collapsed due to her weak heart. Had I not found her, she would have died then and there. The whole month she spent in the hospital, I dedicated to a part-time job as a nurse in the same department, training myself in how to treat patients like her. I also ensured that nothing about my actions got leaked to you or Hifumi's mother. If you wonder why I did all this, I felt guilty over how my rash actions had gotten her involved. Thus, I spent the time and money I had towards ensuring her recovery."

"This whole time?" Yagami asked, her face open in shock.

"Yes. You heard from Hifumi's mother that she had gotten a caretaker to care for her during her recovery, correct?"

"How did you…?"

"Another hunch. That person was me, or at least in title. I spent the last two months visiting Hifumi's household and helping her recover from the surgery. I oversaw her medication and her physical exercise, ensuring she wouldn't end up worse than before with a new heart. And she has improved leaps and bounds since then. You've seen it for yourself yesterday when she came to work."

"True." Hazuki remarked, her expression neutral but her fingers pressed into her arm, "I had wondered who or what had changed her so much. I no longer recognized her when she marched out of the producer's office."

"That was all Hifumi's doing. She might disagree, but in fact it was her willingness to improve herself that led to such a comeback. I merely provided support. And that is the summary of what I wanted to say regarding the last few months. I don't expect there to be any forgiveness."

He fell silent, Hifumi herself unable to speak up as she awaited how Hazuki and Yagami would respond. The silence that hung over them was deafening for her ears that refused to register the lack of sound and began ringing eerily. Just as she couldn't stand it any longer, Yagami sighed and leaned into her seat.

"Honestly Anders, you're incorrigible."

"I don't get what you mean."

"I mean, doing all this for one person? Not only saving Hifumin's life, but training yourself as a caretaker so you can help her recover, all to pay her back? That's known as 'overkill' in most video games."

He gave a dumbfounded look in return, Yagami elaborating while leaning over the table:

"Think for a moment. Any normal person who would have been able to get her to the hospital would have left it at giving their name and leaving, unaware of what would happen in future. But you not only stuck around for her sake, but even paid for a freaking heart transplant? Plus, you spending months in Hifumin's house? If there's anything I don't believe, it's that. Hifumin would never…"

"Would never what?"

Yagami shut up while Hifumi broke into the conversation, giving a cold stare in her direction.

"Kou, I need to talk with you... in private. Anders, you alright with that?"

"Absolutely. I will fight my own battle here with Hazuki, so don't rush anything. Come on Hazuki, I'll treat you to a drink at the counter."

Hazuki's eyes narrowed in the way a cat spots its prey.

"Am I getting invited to a drink by a penniless man? This is not my lucky day."

Anders tried to cover his surprise by coughing, Hazuki meanwhile shifting over to the counter with the smuggest smile Hifumi had ever seen. Once he recovered, he shot Hifumi a look that screamed 'busted' before departing, leaving her and Yagami to watch each other. She cleared her own throat before beginning to speak, the chatter between Hazuki and Anders almost inaudible at this distance.

"Sorry for making this so... obvious. But I think you know why we need to talk."

Yagami leaned back into the sofa, her gaze as scrutinizing as it was contemplative.

"I don't, honestly. I was just surprised you could speak out against me like that. Does that mean he really did come by every day?"

"Yes. Without fail." Hifumi was grateful that her voice still hadn't stuttered.

"Then this whole thing makes even less sense. Hifumin, you've changed a lot, I can see that. But what is it that caused it? I know Anders and him going out of his way to help others isn't anything new. But he paid for your heart! He trained to help you recover from the surgery! And he's even been visiting to help you recover! What is it about you that made him go so far?"

Yagami's face showed she was genuinely dumbfounded, something that Hifumi could sympathize with. She refused to show it however, intent on making her feelings clear.  
"Why are you asking me? You should know, given how much he's helped you before. I'm going to be as direct as possible here, Kou. I know how he was the one who helped you out of your slump back during the competition. I know how he pushed himself to have the partnership work out so quickly. And I know... how he sacrificed himself for your sake after the cyber-attack on Kerzo."

Yagami's expression changed dramatically fast, her jaw tightening as she looked away. A distant expression danced on her face, mixed with mild anger. Hifumi took it into account as she continued:

"I figured out about your trouble for the competition from the beginning. I've worked with you for a long time now and I can tell when you get stuck, even if you tricked Aoba. There was no reason a partnership would work out so quickly either without significant motivation from Anders. It was him who told me about the attack. It... explained a lot of your actions after he was arrested."

"How come?" was all Yagami uttered, Hifumi not requiring more to extract the rest.

"You mean, how come he told me? Simple, I asked him. I was patient and he opened up to me eventually. He doesn't like to talk about himself, but he opens up as long as one gives him a chance."

She caught Yagami's eye twitch at that, a small bit of pride spreading in her chest.

"Kou? You alright?"

"Hifumin," Yagami began, a trace of suspicion in her voice, "what's really going on here? Why did you want to talk to me alone? Was it to poke fun at me for something I did?"

Even though she could go further, Hifumi realized that Yagami was sharper than expected. She therefore opted to lower the hostility in the air instead:

"You're right, I shouldn't be skirting around the issue. I need to tell you something. Something important."

"I still haven't received an answer to my own question. Please answer me that first."

Hifumi sighed, aware that Yagami was merely stalling for time. She could sense it by the nervous twitch in Yagami's eye reappearing over and over.

"Kou, you know the answer is absurdly simple. He went that far because to him, helping someone out means he will use everything he has at his disposal to sort out their problems. I'm no stranger to it and neither are you. Or did I misunderstand the phone call between you and Makimura?"

The pair of blue eyes watching her widened in shock.

"How did you…?"

"I was in the office when you talked with her, Kou. I had gone to the bathroom and was about to cross the hallway when I heard you two talk. I eavesdropped on you, I'm sorry. But I heard pretty much everything."

"I... see." Hifumi could see how Yagami's arms tensed up, "So, why are you bringing that up now?"

"Kou, don't try to skirt over this. You know that ever since you met Anders, he's done nothing but try and help you with your issues. From drawing to your misunderstandings, he did everything to help you be at peace with your troubles. It is no different to how he treated me. But there was one major difference."

The upwards glance as Yagami narrowed her eyes showed she was ignorant of the meaning.

"What would that be?"

"Kou, when he helped me it was initially out of guilt. But everything he ever did for you, he did out of affection."

Yagami visibly recoiled, spinning around to check on the other two. Hifumi cast a quick eye as well, seeing how Hazuki slapped Anders on the back, her cheeks visibly flushed while he tried in vain to stop her from drinking out of the bottle. Both women turned back to face each other, a light shade of pink on Yagami's own cheeks.

"You're not serious, Hifumin."  
"Kou, why are you ignoring the truth? You must have known, somewhere in your mind, that he wasn't doing this much for you just out of courtesy. Anders is kind beyond measure, it's true. But he went to jail for your sake. He was ready to offer himself just so that you could be safe. Those aren't the actions of an acquaintance, but of someone who cherishes you far more. Has he told you about why he wanted to join Eagle Jump in the first place?"

"Hifumin, didn't he say so himself? He wanted to train his drawing skills to help him make his novel…"

"That's a lie. He might have had an interest in it before, but it faded into the background when you finally appeared in front of him. The moment he was able to get to know you, he wished to get closer to you. To understand you. To show you how much he cared. And what did you do?"

"That's… not your business, Hifumin."

Hifumi bit her lip momentarily as she contemplated the words she was about to say. Then relinquished her hesitation as she knew that this was why she had wanted to speak with Yagami in the first place.

"Kou, I went into that cemetery because I thought he might be hiding in a place with few people. The fact that Anders was there was a miracle beyond belief in my view. But it wasn't just him that was there. You were as well."

Another shocked expression, another tightening of her arms. It was clear that Yagami was growing increasingly unsettled. Hifumi gave her no chance to respond though, unsure if she could keep it up after interruptions.

"You saw what he was doing, who he was with. I won't point out details. But ask yourself this, Kou. What did you think of Anders when you saw him? Did you understand him better? Or was the reason for you leaving him alone because you refused to understand him?"

Having said her part, Hifumi now leaned back herself, waiting now for Yagami to come to terms with her words. The blond-haired woman was gazing down at the table, her hands balled up as she battled some internal strife. Hifumi had struck gold with her question, her suspicion after Yagami's hesitant tone back at her apartment having verified itself. She took another glance towards the bar, only to catch Maria appear out of seemingly nowhere, carrying a silver tray with two cocktail glasses. Only, each one shimmered in a variety of different colors, swirling around and never retaining one single pattern. One was overlaid with wisteria petals, while the other one carried the head of a daisy. She placed the cocktail glasses down with such elegance and grace that no sound came from them touching the table. Hifumi wished to speak up, but Maria placed a finger before her own lips. So she remained silent as Maria retreated to the bar counter, where Anders was struggling to get a word in edgewise through Hazuki's drunken rambling. She wondered just how much stress Hazuki had been piling up to look like that, feeling somewhat sorry for Anders. As the thought crossed her, Yagami spoke up:

"I won't be able to answer you with words, Hifumin. Not with her around."

"Say what?" was her genuine response. Yagami pointed to the cocktail glasses with a sour smile.

"Maria here is a bit of an oddball. She always knows your intentions at a glance and spouts wisdom that makes you want to twist up into a ball for its accuracy. These drinks are a good example. They're known as 'Journeys' and they help you sense the emotions that you're currently feeling. See how she arranged them?"

A quick glance sufficed to show that they had been placed so that the glass with the daisy was before her, while Yagami had the wisteria one.

"This means she wants us to not continue talking with words, but emotions. She's weird like that. I've had them before, but only for me. I have no clue what happens when we drink each other's, but I suppose Maria knows what she's doing. What do you say? Shall we drink to understand?"

Hifumi couldn't resist a giggle.

"That's… bad advice."

"Can't argue with that."

They grabbed their respective glasses and lightly tapped them against each other. Hifumi hesitated for a moment as she brought the cocktail to her lips, the scent of the liquid confusing her with a mixture beyond description. A quick glance at Anders though gave her the courage to press onwards, letting the first sip into her mouth.

The moment she began to taste the concoction, she was overwhelmed by a surge of feelings, their exact nature unknown as she lowered the glass and squeezed her eyes shut. A sudden image played in her mind, one foreign to her in every way possible. She was sitting in the bar again but at the counter, facing Maria with hazy eyes while the woman departed for a back room. Her hands that moved without her control began to fumble for something, before a slip of paper crept up from the side along with a pen. As she read the writing through her unfocused vision, she found herself looking up to see none other than Anders before her. He was smiling, the same masked smile he had worn so often in Hifumi's own memories. But this was not one of them. She felt something burst out of her chest, coming across like a mix of suspicion, intrigue and above all despair. The last one stung harshly, granting her no reprieve. She continued watching as 'she' and Anders delved into conversation over the paper, their conversation slowly raising the mood that she felt down in the depths of her chest. The picture then began to shift as she collapsed onto the ground, only to be picked up by Anders and brought to the taxi by him. Then, she felt something new explode within her, reminding her of gratitude or even mere interest. She felt the heat on her cheeks as she kissed Anders on his cheek, before he closed the taxi door with a blush. The memory ended at that point, allowing her to open her eyes with a gasp. She saw that Yagami had gone through something similar, her hand over her chest while being deathly pale. Yagami's teary eyes slowly moved to face hers, endless empathy in her expression.

"Hifumi…" Yagami began, trying to rein in her emotions, "I'm so sorry. I didn't know... you were in so much pain."

A small gasp escaped Hifumi as she realized that they had gone through.

"You... were there? In the graveyard?"

Yagami nodded solemnly.

"I felt... your pain. Your anguish. Everything. It was so heavy, I thought my own heart was going to break. But you... you survived through that?"

A shadow crossed Hifumi's face as she recalled her first week in the hospital.

"Not really, as you know."

"Oh no, I'm so sorry!"

Yagami looked ready to throw herself under a bus, so vivid was the shame in her eyes. Hifumi tried to calm her though with a smile, as strained as it was.

"It's alright, you couldn't understand back then. I saw something from your memory as well. The night you first met Anders."

"Ah." was the intelligent reply from her, before a pink tinge crept up on her cheeks again. Both women looked away from each other, the mood growing increasingly awkward until Hifumi took up the reins and asked:

"Shall we... continue?"

After a few hesitant seconds, Yagami gave an almost imperceptible nod. They both grabbed their glasses again and moved to swallow the rest.

Thus began an excruciating journey for both Hifumi and Yagami, each sip evoking another memory from the other person to play before them. Each gulp was beset by countless emotions that tugged at their hearts like seamstresses, sometimes making Hifumi feel blessed while at other times, they threatened to make her have a nervous breakdown. She saw how Yagami's life passed before her, from Yagami's second meeting with Anders to their chats in the bar after the partnership was established. The moment where he revealed his scars to her by accident, the anger and irritation Yagami had felt upon him trying to hide it from her. The time he had been arrested and dropped the note for her, Futaba's explanation in the hospital, the night she begged Maria to help him. That memory in particular made Hifumi's heart pour out for Yagami, who recognized the lengths the woman had gone herself to help Anders.

Yet the memories didn't stop, from the conversation with Hazuki about hiring Anders, the reconciliation with Makimura, meeting with Anders' father and who she presumed to be Sayuri's. All the way until the final sip was taken, transporting her to a site both familiar and foreign to her. Gravestones marked both end of the path she stood in, opening up however to an open space where a single grave stood, surrounded by a low polished wall. Anders sat before it, his expression turning into horror as he recognized Yagami. Hifumi continued watching as Yagami froze Anders in place with her presence, before she moved over to the grave and read the names inscribed. She caught Sayuri's name, along with whom she presumed to be Anders' mother and Yumina. The words Yagami said while praying to the grave struck Hifumi deep. She hadn't expected her to be so considerate after the suppressed anger she had felt upon seeing him. Yet as Yagami finished her words, she felt an enormous weight on her shoulders, taking her a moment to recognize it as regret. Yagami's last words to Anders echoed in her mind repeatedly:

_Anders, I can't help you. You don't let me in, you don't let me try to understand. You run away the moment things start looking well for you and I can't understand why. So please, at least stay safe. Whatever it is that you can't let me see, make sure to find someone who can carry that burden with you. It's not right to be alone. You taught me that._

At that point, Hifumi awoke from her journey and found herself in the bar again, Yagami sitting across her with tear-streaked cheeks. She tried to wipe them, only for fresh ones to take their place. It was almost heartbreaking to hear the words that bubbled out of her, their tone so genuine it hurt to listen:

"I'm... such an idiot. I left him there... when he was in so much pain..."

"Kou." Hifumi eyed the most skilled artist in Eagle Jump with the gaze a mother might cast over its child. She moved over so she sat next to Yagami, placing her hand over Yagami's own.

"It's alright Kou. I understood your feelings as well. You don't have to blame yourself."

"But, Hifumin!" Yagami argued, "You were right! I heard what he said about me, about what he felt. I tried to swallow my own feelings but…!"  
"I said it's alright. We all live with our own interpretations and opinions. If they don't fit another person, then one cannot help them. I learned that myself just now. You had it rough yourself, Kou."

Hifumi leaned in and gave Yagami a hug, who returned it with vigor as she sobbed into her shoulder and kept mumbling:

"When I left that graveyard... I was lost, confused... I had no idea what I was doing or had done. Rin found me and just... kept me company. I couldn't bear to think about Anders for the next few weeks after that, the truth I found in the cemetery constantly making me angry at myself without reason. His family didn't help either, I couldn't figure out whether he even was in the same country anymore. After a month passed, I slowly realized that I would never be able to move on at this rate."

"So, you decided to become a couple with Rin?"

Yagami slowly separated herself from Hifumi, the reddened rings not detracting from the vivid determination in them.

"Hifumin, I am not using Rin as a scapegoat. She's the closest person to me. Every day we spend together as partners, the more I can't imagine not being at her side. So I will do my best to cherish mine and Rin's feelings, so that I can live with the decisions I've done."

Those words struck deep with Hifumi, who couldn't withhold a giggle.

"I see. I promise I won't tell Rin anything. But make sure to care for her. Rin's been looking at you for so long that if anything were to happen, I'd have no clue how to help."

The smile the two women shared was one that went beyond mere appreciation. It was one of understanding, one that secured the relationship between the two of them. Yagami suddenly burst into giggles, leaving Hifumi alone to ponder it until she explained:

"You're easy to be envious of, Hifumin."

"Me?"

"You didn't just survive a heart attack, you gained a new chance at life. You had the choice of retreating to a bed at home, unable to ever regain the chance to live how you wanted to. You could have simply decided to give up."

The truth that such thoughts had passed her mind in the past hurt Hifumi more than she expected.

'But you didn't, Hifumin. You fought against that future. You strove to get better, to hold yourself upright. The woman who strode into that office all those months later was nothing like the you before. You found yourself a purpose, a strength from within. It's no wonder that somebody like Anders would fall for you. I'm happy for you, truly I am."

An undeniable heat formed on Hifumi's cheeks as she looked away for a moment.

"Kou, I…"

She was silenced by another embrace from Yagami, whose posture had relaxed significantly.

"Hifumin, you're far more of a role model than you think. I thought I had done the right thing when I walked away from Anders, but I just caused both myself and him more pain. I've finally begun to accept the future I've chosen with Rin. If he can try as well to begin a new life with you, then nothing would make me happier. I've come to understand the complexity that is Anders, something you grasped much quicker than me. So please, Hifumin, take care of him."

Now Hifumi couldn't hold back her own tears, digging her face into Yagami's shoulder while they remained bound through what could no longer be considered mere friendship. It was a mutual agreement of feelings between two women who had both gone through their share of tough experiences in life. When they split apart once more, there was no more hesitation in their eyes.

At the same time, they caught the sound of someone collapsing on the bar counter, turning to find it being none other than Hazuki, her expression dripping with bliss. Anders stood beside her, scratching his head nervously while Maria gave a sigh.

"She certainly doesn't know when to hold back. Anders, I'm going to have to charge you for this."  
"You're kidding! She drank enough for five people!"

"And you're paying, since you invited her. Rules are rules."  
It was impossible to overlook the grimace he made, groaning while leaning against the counter.

"I'm never coming back here again, Maria."

Hifumi observed the bartender's smile widen in response.

"That's wonderful to hear, Anders. I'll go ahead and call the taxi, you focus on gathering up the money. Bill's on the counter."

She pointed to a white slip before slipping herself into the back room, Anders casting one look at it before turning white. Unable to hold back any longer, Hifumi stood up and walked over to him, Yagami close behind. Once he spotted Hifumi approaching, his face regained a shade of color.

"Welcome back. Looks like you two managed to work things out."

Hifumi exchanged a knowing glance with Yagami, both giving a brief giggle.

"I guess you can say that. Is Hazuki...?"

"Down for the count. I tried to talk with her about getting a job again, but she outdrank me before I could get my point across."

"That's too bad... wait, get your job back?" Hifumi switched into alert mode almost instantaneously, Anders nodding earnestly.

"Yep. I told you before that I made my decision. I had the option until now of leaving the city and finding a way to pay my bills. I knew it would involve leaving you, something I couldn't stomach but also found no way out of. You aren't fully recovered yet and forcing you to come with would have been asking too much from you."  
"That's not…!"

"For me to decide, I know. But as you both know, I tend to make my own ideas and pull through with them, regardless of what others may think. So far, it's served me well. But this time, you showed me how flawed it was, Hifumi."  
His smile widened as he grabbed her hands in his own, causing her to blush again.

"You showed me that it was alright to live in a world where others could care and worry about you. I thought myself beyond help and retribution with Sayuri and the others, yet you shattered that mindset. You gave me hope. You gave me warmth. And above all, you showed me what it means to live again."

He ended his words by releasing one of her hands, stroking her head softly in a manner that made her moan quietly. He soon released her however, making her a slight bit disappointed.

"Yagami." he began, his voice lacking hesitation but instead sounding weighed down, "I suppose I have to explain myself. I never gave you the chance, after all."

Yagami's expression was indiscernible, until her next few words made him gape in shock:

"No, you don't have anything to explain."

"What? But I…"

"You are right that you never gave me a chance to approach you. But just as well, I never tried to give you time to open yourself. That month we spent was nothing short of dramatic. Partnerships, cybercrime, trials. We did more that month than others have their entire careers. And at the end of it all, I decided it was better to leave you be, before I ended up hating you more than I already did for the truth I discovered myself. I thought it was the right choice, that I was respecting your wishes at the same time. But just like how I couldn't see Rin's affection before my nose, neither could I sense yours. I barely inquired about your circumstances and I refused to hear what brought you to change so much when it counted. At the end of this long 'journey', Anders, I only want to apologize."

Before he could stop her, Yagami gave a deep bow, speaking as she kept the pose:  
"I ask that you forgive me for the trouble I caused."

She didn't move, Hifumi watching with bated breath as Anders' expression contorted repeatedly, until he gave a sigh.

"Yagami, raise your head please. I'm not fully integrated with Japanese culture, bowing isn't my style of apologizing."

As Yagami returned to her upright stance with a confused expression, she immediately changed it to shock when he took a step forward and hugged her.

"Yagami Kou. You were the woman I admired for her character, the artist I respected for her skill. You gave my life color again after the accident. You gave me the strength to persist and pursue a future, as faint as it was. The time I spent with you will remain unforgettable for me. But the feelings I held for you once no longer exist."

He relaxed his hug somewhat, his gaze centered on hers. It was respectful, polite, yet warm.

"I wanted to make that clear, once and for all. I might still be out of a job, I might still be an idiot who listens more to himself than others. But I am a better person in part thanks to you. We both have other people to care for, people to show our affection to and to help ourselves push towards tomorrow. I can promise you that I will continue to look after Hifumi, just as she has done for me."

He glanced back at Hifumi with a smile, before returning his attention to her.

"With that, Yagami, do you think I could be forgiven instead?"

No answer came, the two people locked in what appeared to be an eternal embrace. That is, until Yagami began mumbling into his shirt:

"Not until you let go of me. This qualifies as 'cheating' on your girlfriend."  
He leapt back from her, as if stung by a giant wasp. He immediately turned to Hifumi with panic in his expression, who simply cocked her head in confusion. As the two of them wondered what was going on, Yagami burst into laughter, wiping a tear from her eye.

"Sorry, sorry. I just couldn't help it. You're still so cute when you panic, Anders."

Anders' mouth flopped open in surprise, before a blush conquered his cheeks.

"Yagami!" he growled in an embarrassed tone, which only made Yagami laugh harder. Hifumi was still stunned into silence by the sudden change in atmosphere. The air between Yagami and Anders had seemingly switched in an instant, her attitude towards him more resembling a younger sister as she poked fun at him. Anders tried to act tough, but she dug through his facade without remorse, making him more and more annoyed. She sat down on a bar stool and surveyed the situation, only to be surprised by Hazuki's voice beside her:

"Things certainly worked out, didn't they?"

Hifumi turned to see Hazuki fully refreshed, as if the drunken state she was in before had never happened.

"How did you...?"

"I was never drunk, Takimoto. I've played the drinking game long enough to know how to act beyond help. I didn't want to give Anders an answer until he and Yagami settled their differences. Luckily, Maria picked up on my signal and gave me scented water instead."

Out of nowhere, Maria's voice popped into existence, the woman as mysteriously present as when she vanished.

"I had a hunch you were aiming for this, Ms. Hazuki, and merely acted upon it. Your plans have come into fruition, it seems."

"As have yours, Maria. You know, you remind me of someone I heard about a long time ago."

"Is that so? Might I inquire what you were told?"

"Just that there used to be a woman much like you, constantly watching other people and trying to find ways to guide them towards reconciling. My great-grandmother often told how she had been like a sister to our family."

Hifumi noted with intrigue as Maria's eyes widened in surprise, before her usual expression took over.

"I see. Well, that is a most curious story indeed. Not that such ones can be trusted without doubt."

"Fair point. Anyway, I think it's time me and Anders had a talk."

She turned around in her seat and watched the squabble between Anders and Yagami, raising her voice so she was louder than either of them:

"Mr. Tansuke, I think we should begin negotiations."

They stopped their argument abruptly, Anders staring in utter shock at Hazuki.

"You tricked me!"

"Only so you could get your luggage out of the way. It's much harder to make decisions when you have regrets, isn't it?"

The silence he gave as an answer was indicative enough of her having struck gold.

"Anyway, Mr. Tansuke, I was made aware that you wish to join our company once more, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's right. But this time, I don't want a particular position or a particular person to be my supervisor."

Almost every pair of eyes raised themselves in the room at his words, spare Maria's.

"Anders?" Yagami inquired, "What do you mean?"

"It means that I wish to be employed at Eagle Jump. Not because of some half-truth like 'I want to learn how to draw for a novel'. I want to work at Eagle Jump because I know my skills are as wide as they are flexible. I want to take a position that gives me the greatest ability to benefit the company."

"Curious." Hazuki's gaze was mired in deep thought," So you wish to join us not simply as an ex-employee, but as a member of the front lines? You know, even if I were willing to hire you, I would be fully justified to place you at the bottom as a janitor. Perhaps you'd last longer than as character designer."

The cringe he gave in response was strong enough to be audible. Yagami gave a drawn-out whistle.

"Ouch, Hazuki. That's harsh."

"Yes!" Hifumi butted in, irritated at Hazuki's suggestion, "You can't do that to him! He's able to do so much, you must consider something else!"

Hazuki's glance at her resulted with a cocky smile to creep up on her face, making Hifumi feel a bit disconcerted.

"Well, Takimoto, what do you expect me to do? I can't possibly hire him into our direct circle again. After all, our office forbids romantic relationships in the same company."

Hifumi's mouth opened a bit as she realized the immediate problem, it having never come up for her before.

"No way…"

"I'm sorry, Takimoto. But again, I can't go ignoring company policy. I could just sweep this under the rug, but should anything ever come out public, then not just you and Anders, but the company as well is in trouble. We have a reputation to uphold. So unless you and Anders agree to break up your relationship, I can't hire him for anything that would be suitable."

Stunned silence reigned in the bar, nobody willing or unable to speak. Hifumi's mind raced with half-finished ideas and possibilities, only to conclude that it was impossible. Hazuki might be air-headed at times, but she knew what the responsibilities were in the workplace and the rules that needed to be upheld.

"Hold on a minute!" Yagami suddenly interrupted, waking Hifumi from her thoughts, "Then why didn't you do anything about me and Rin?"

"Because I know the rules, Yagami. Romantic relationships between two people of the same 'gender' isn't prohibited on paper, only between men and women. The board decided on the rules of no relationships back before I joined. When I entered the stage, it quickly became clear that I was powerless to convince the board otherwise. Only the Producer could negotiate with them and he was in full support of the board's opinions. So I made use of the loophole and employed mostly female applicants, to at least foster some relationships that could spring up. Anybody was free to pursue anyone else outside the office. You and Rin were one of these special cases I had hoped could appear with time. It's why I secretly supported you from the sidelines before Anders came."

Another period of awed silence encroached on them all. Hifumi had always assumed Hazuki's only reason for the female-only staff list was due to her slightly perverted desire to see beautiful girls. Yet now, she recognized that Hazuki had tried to manage the workplace environment as well she could by utilizing the openings in company policy. She may have had some personal preferences mixed into her selections, but she considered the wellbeing of the employees. The silence was finally stopped by Anders giving a sigh.

"I see. So there was something like that. Hazuki, you have my thanks for the explanation."

"No need. What will you do now though, Anders? There's not a lot at my disposal. I can recommend you to another company, but the chances of you being accepted are slim, even if they were to overlook your involvement with Kerzo."

Anders crossed his arms as he sat back down on one of the stools, Hifumi seating herself beside him as she bit her lip nervously, Hazuki and Yagami exchanging troubled glances. This was a problem that they had never been able to fully solve up to this point. The only sound for a good while was that of Maria cleaning a pitcher over a sink with a white cloth. Just as Hifumi was finding the atmosphere too oppressing, Anders jumped up and spun towards Maria with a cheerful expression.

"Hey, Maria, you got any 'Expectation' left?"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10:**

The moment the word 'Expectation' escaped Anders' lips, Maria dropped the pitcher into the sink, the crash it made enough to make everyone cringe. It took Maria several seconds to answer, placing the unblemished pitcher aside first before answering hurriedly:

"You cannot be serious Anders. Ingesting 'Expectation' is…"

"Dangerous, lethal to one's psyche, the whole package. You've told me this before. But it doesn't answer if you have any."

"Of course I do, but that is not made to be consumed. The consequences could be...disastrous."

Hifumi butted in this time, unable to hide her own curiosity any longer:

"What are you two talking about? What is this 'Expectation'?"

"Yeah, I'd like to know as well." Yagami added, "Is it like that drink you made Anders have a few months ago?"

"If only, Ms. Yagami. 'Expectation' is a violent drink capable of shattering minds and destroying one's own self-confidence. Once a person is subjected, it grants them the ability to perceive the first action they must take to answer the question they are pursuing. This however is highly dangerous for several reasons. For starters, humans are not beings who can predict the absolute future. They may give predictions with certain degrees of accuracy, but there is never a guarantee. Once ingested, 'Expectation' will make you see a future that correlates with your own desires, not with what necessarily can happen. Second, the liquid is highly potent, easily able to incapacitate a grown man from a single whiff due to the shock it invokes into your system. The smell you caught from 'that', Ms. Yagami, is incomparable. Not even I can properly process it. Disregarding the fact that it can easily make one addicted."

"Yet you used it yourself."

Maria took a double take at Anders' words, who watched her with understanding.

"I figured it out Maria. You were asked by Yagami to help free me before the trial. As 'all-knowing' as you say you are, you didn't have a choice but to take some to figure out a way to help me. I was in the trial myself, I heard how the police suddenly received an 'anonymous' tip to further investigate the memory sticks. Nobody would have been able to predict what to do safely except someone who could vividly see the steps they needed to take. I'm sure you were out cold for a good few hours after that. You're not the kind of person to go that far without some serious motivation behind it."

Awed silence hung around him, even Maria looking unsettled as she adjusted the flower in her breast pocket, which Hifumi now noticed to be a branch of wisteria flowers.

"I do not like it when you attempt to dissect my intentions, Anders."

"But I'm not wrong, am I?"

For a second, it looked like Maria was going to resist, before she slumped her shoulders.

"I cannot hide from you, it seems. How embarrassing that I must be found out by one of my own customers."

"Don't take it so hard. Instead, tell me where you have it."

Maria's mood suddenly switched, her stare growing cold as she crossed her arms. For a split second, Maria looked capable of turning the world to ice if she desired it.

"I refuse, Anders."

"Maria…" Anders began, before being cut off by her:

"I refuse. Taking 'Expectation' is out of the question. As you already 'figured out', not even I could stand against the side-effects. Having you take it is akin to suicide."

The last word hung heavy in the air, it reminding Hifumi of her own brush with death merely months ago. She glanced up to see an oddly resolute expression on Anders' face, it inciting a fearful response from her.

"Anders, you can't mean…?"

He turned to her with a sympathetic smile, his eyes betraying his intentions.

"Sorry Hifumi, but there's little choice. I have my hands bound with what I can do. Finding suitable employment with my background is near impossible in Japan, outside of a small-scale job in the countryside. I don't want to leave you either, which is why I need to find someplace to work here in town."

"But still! You can't go using something so dangerous! If Maria herself is against it, then please reconsider!"

"And do what Hifumi? I already haven't paid the bills for two months and next month's looming over. That's an amount nobody can simply hand over like it was nothing. I couldn't get a loan either with the reputation I carry. If I'm ever going to get out of this rut, then I need to fight my way back up. As difficult as it's going to be."

Hifumi desired to counter him, but his argument was sound. She couldn't use their feelings as leverage either. So she was forced to watch as Anders' expression settled on a mask of resoluteness, again facing Maria:

"Please Maria. Let me try to be with the woman I love."

A host of emotions crossed Maria's face, before slowly shifting towards resignation. Just as she began to turn around though, a phone echoed in the bar, the recipient being Hazuki.

"I'm sorry, let me just…"

Hazuki abruptly stopped talking as she saw the caller, before slowly answering the machine:

"Hello Producer, how odd of you to call me."

Hifumi's eyes widened a bit as she recognized the voice on the other end, too garbled to understand but unmistakable in tone. She contemplated her actions yesterday and how upfront she had been. For a split second, she feared being fired for her rude behavior. Yet Hazuki's confused expression told a different story.

"Sir, are you sure? There's countless issues with carrying this out...Yes, I understand your feelings but please, consider the morale... Sir, I can't stress enough how much time pressure we have right now... What? Yes, I am acquainted with Mr. Tansuke, but why…"

Hazuki nearly dropped the phone as the voice continued, her face chalk white. Everyone watched her with concern, unaware of the events that were playing out. That is, until Hazuki began talking in a much quieter voice:

"I understand, sir. I shall have him contact you immediately. Please, give me a moment."

She hung up and stared at her phone screen in disbelief, slowly raising her head and facing Anders.

"Anders, you must speak with the Producer. He... wants to speak to you."

Anders raised an eyebrow, it being reciprocated by Hifumi and Yagami.

"With me?"

"Yes. He refused to tell me why but... it sounds terribly serious. It seems like he's ignorant of your… 'mute' phase, so don't worry about surprising him."

Now looking genuinely concerned, Anders dialed the number she showed and waited for the phone to pick up, for some reason however placing it on speaker mode while warning the rest to be quiet. Soon enough, the phone was answered by the Producer's own voice, sounding both pleased and defeated:

"Mr. Tansuke, a pleasure to finally hear from you. I hope I'm not intruding."

Anders took a deep breath before answering:

"Not at all, Mr. …"

"Call me Fudo."

"Fudo then. I am in the middle of a sorting war though with my monthly paperwork, so please excuse my use of speaker mode."

"Not a problem. I would have suggested anyway you keep one hand free for holding the table."

"I'm sorry, Fudo, but what are we…?"

"Mr. Tansuke let me ask you something. What, in your opinion, is the role of a producer?"

It was clear nobody had expected the question, Anders exchanging a confused look with Hifumi before answering:

"An odd question, Fudo. To my understanding, is it not to monitor and assess the budget, development, marketing and licensing of a product?"

"A textbook answer, Mr. Tansuke. But no, I wanted to hear your 'personal' opinion. I am aware you ran your office slightly 'different' from the books during your time as manager in Kerzo."

Anders cringed a bit, but let him continue:

"I want to know what it is that drove a man like you to carry out so much to help others, even at the risk of running a deficit to your company. You were more than driven to assist the formation of our previous partnership, at speeds I personally couldn't fathom. For that, you brought us a resounding success in marketing our latest game, while boosting your own firm at the same time."

"I thank you for the compliment, but the current manager, Futaba Uchimaki, is more suited for those words. She ran the company during my 'absence'."

"Don't play me for a fool, Mr. Tansuke. I know you are a capable man, capable of more than most people would be able to even attempt to copy in your position. Back to my question though. If you were to be a producer yourself, what would be your priority?"

A long pause formed, Anders appearing both confused and deeply contemplative. Nobody dared raise their voice, waiting until a flash of inspiration crossed his face.

"I think... I would first and foremost ensure that production were done with every employee satisfied that it would be enjoyable to work with."

"So 'satisfaction' is your aim?"

"Yes. To ensure a product's safe entry into stores, you need to have people motivated to produce each component with care. Should you press ideas that don't resonate with your employees, you run the risk of having half-hearted work carried out. But if one were to be inspired to make a product that they would be proud of, then their speed and efficiency rises significantly. It also promotes worker morale as individuals might wish to prove their dedication by working overtime to avoid doom with the deadline. It might burden them a bit, but the people who dedicate their time and effort to produce something they're proud of are nothing short of remarkable."

He winked at Yagami, who couldn't hide a blush and looked away, although it was clear she enjoyed the compliment. It made Hifumi feel somewhat annoyed though.

"I see. Well, that is certainly an interesting answer, Mr. Tansuke. In that case, what about situations where your employees fall ill or suffer under the conditions you yourself have permitted? What would you do if the people who have faith in your product end up worse because of it?"

Hifumi nearly let a gasp escape her, Anders' expression tightening in response to his words. It was obvious what he was referring to, even Hazuki looking uncomfortable. Yet, Anders soon collected himself and smiled during his answer:

"I believe, Fudo, that every employee has a responsibility to take care of themselves. Should they fall ill due to their own negligence, then it stands to reason that they accept the consequences of their actions. But to quickly condemn a herd for the actions of an individual is nothing more than the actions of a paranoid leader. One must have faith that the people they have employed are able to return with refreshed hearts and minds. A worker may be deathly ill for a week or even a month, but the moment they return to work they sometimes showcase an unseen level of determination. That is nothing more than human growth. I believe I overheard one of your employees being hospitalized recently. Ms. Takimoto, was it?"

He winked at Hifumi this time, giving her reason to blush while fidgeting. The producer's voice grew heavy as he answered:

"Yes, that's right. And it's in fact partially because of her that I am calling."

The nervous mood from before vanished from the room as all ears were strained at the phone.

"What do you mean, Fudo?"

"Truth is, Takimoto came into my office yesterday, the first day of her return. I had, in my concern, toned down the hours the others were permitted to work. I was afraid that another member of the company would eventually crumble under the stress, putting both them and the company at risk. But that all faded into the background when I saw Takimoto enter my office."

He paused for a moment, as if thinking back fondly on the memory.

"I had always heard the rumors about Takimoto beforehand. Shy, insecure, unwilling to engage with others where possible, especially men. I kept my own distance to respect that and only offered support. But the woman who came to see me yesterday, after a life-changing event that should have crushed her, was back stronger than ever. She looked me straight in the eyes, her voice was strong and confident, and her whole body spoke volumes for her resolution. She disapproved of my actions and demanded I return the company to its usual working hours. I ended up arguing with her why this was not a good idea, when she struck me with an important piece of wisdom."

Another pause, giving Anders the chance to gaze at Hifumi questioningly, who could only shake her head in ignorance.

"Well, Fudo?"

"Oh right, my apologies. She told me the exact same thing you did just now regarding my question about when employees turn ill. One should not blame the flock for the actions of an individual."

His words stunned almost everyone but Hifumi, who just recalled her having said something similar before.

"She did?"

"Yes, and that was what struck me. She had gone through a harrowing experience where her life was in danger, fully in the right to retreat and never take up the space she once held. But somehow, she found the strength to not only recover, but to face her fears and accept herself for who she was. She was a striking person at that moment, resolute in facing her superior and giving her opinion, regardless of the consequences. I never answered her determination back then, only giving permission to return to normal hours. But last night, I couldn't get her words out of my head. It struck me then and there that what had failed wasn't my policies, but me as a person."  
"Fudo? What do you…?"  
"This might come across as out of place to you, Mr. Tansuke, but the truth was that I used to be married. My wife passed away twenty years ago due to a stress-induced heart attack. Her overtime hours had caught up with her."

The news was shocking for Hifumi, Yagami sharing her reaction. Anders' eyes hardened a bit, but he remained friendly with his tone:

"I see. I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you. Hearing Takimoto yesterday reminded me of my wife's last words to me, to 'never ignore the words of those around you'. I have been working as producer for many years now, but never thought to listen to the words of a single employee like Takimoto thought to do. I believed that I always had the best interests of others at heart, but I was grievously wrong. My inability to listen to the opinions of others only hurt my company and the people who dedicate themselves to completing our projects. Therefore, I believe it is only fitting that I go reflect on my flaws and resign."

It was as if a bomb had landed in the room. Not a single face was left untouched after that reveal, not even Maria, who had been trying to pour tea and now ended up soaking the counter. Anders cleared his throat as he tried to formulate suitable words:

"Fudo, that's... a very sudden decision."

"You think? I've been considering it for a few years now. Eagle Jump has been growing splendidly as of late, the new employees breathing fresh life into the workplace. I'm beginning to feel a little bit out of place at this point. So I thought, after my revelation yesterday, that it's best for me to hand the position over to somebody else."

"I see. So who are you considering? Perhaps your director, Ms. Hazuki?"

"Her? As if I would! If I gave her the job, she'd whip me tender. Shizuku is the best director I could ever have asked for. Her mind's as sharp as a scalpel, but she's bogged down by her personal attachment to the company. If she took up after me, she'd have to break off the bonds she's been building with others. To work as a producer means to distance yourself a bit from your peers. Not to mention, she'd never handle it well anyway, knowing how lax she is at attending meetings."

"I feel inclined to prove you wrong."

The room turned to Hazuki, who held a hand before her mouth in shock. A confused sound came from the phone.  
"Mr. Tansuke? Is there someone with you?"

Anders' answer didn't miss a heartbeat, answering with the confidence of a lion:

"It's just my girlfriend, Fudo. We're in the middle of deciding how to arrange our new accommodation together. I've been forced to leave my old home behind due to rent being too high for the meager salary I work with now. Part-time jobs aren't very generous, as you might know."

He winked at Hifumi as he talked, who turned scarlet as she contemplated what he had just suggested. They had just spent their first night in bed, now they're supposed to be living together? She shook her head vehemently as Yagami grinned in her direction. Fudo's voice took on a more sympathetic tone:

"I understand. It would of course be difficult after what you've been through. Wrongful accusations are a plague still in our society. I wonder though if you'd be willing to give up your part-time work for a more... profitable venue?"

Anders raised an eyebrow at the phone.

"I'm listening, Fudo."

"How about becoming the producer of Eagle Jump in my stead?"

The scream that had been threatening to burst out of them was only barely suppressed by their combined willpower, Hifumi's chest aching as she tried to subdue the urge. Anders was no different, with the exception that he was coughing loudly to clear their sounds.

"Fudo…" he breathed out through coughs, "While I appreciate the humor, I don't think we associate that well yet that jokes are appropriate."

"I'm not joking, Anders." Fudo's voice changed once more, this time towards sincerity, "I have heard of your work through the rumor mill. In addition, I was honored to receive your former assistant, Futaba Uchimaki, during the panic after the cyber-attack. Her recounting of your work attitude and abilities is nothing to scoff at. Not to mention, your answers before having proven that you consider the people under you as not just mere workers, but adults with their own voice and opinion. Thus, I have no qualms with asking if you are willing to take my offer."  
"I'm honored, Fudo. Really, I am. But to suddenly spring this on me... isn't there some sort of hesitation? I mean, my trial…"

"Ended with you being declared innocent and freed of all charges. Therefore, there is nothing to be concerned about. I agree this is sudden, but do you think you could give me an answer right now? Even a premature one would be enough."  
The call went silent as Anders stared at the floor, his eyes a window into his turbulent state of mind. Hifumi kept watching as he struggled with an answer, aware of the problem they still faced. Yet as he looked up into her eyes, a warm smile suddenly spread his lips.  
"Hey Hifumi, should we put the shelf over in that corner perhaps?"

She gaped at Anders in horror, it being reciprocated by Yagami and even Hazuki, who couldn't believe what he was doing. Yet the latter two were prohibited from talking, Fudo interjecting:

"Anders, did I just hear the name 'Hifumi'?"

"That's correct, Fudo. I told you I was with my girlfriend, right?"

"Yes, but that means…"

"It means I can't take the position at this point in time. I truly do with all my heart, but it also matters that I don't want to leave behind the relationship me and Hifumi have. I cherish my bond with her too much to throw it away over a promotion, regardless of how grand it is. I've been made aware that romantic relationships between men and women are prohibited in Eagle Jump and that you support the board as well with this decision. I cannot therefore take your offer. I'm very sorry."

Silence reigned on both ends of the call, Anders the only one with a hint of happiness in his expression. It soon shifted though when Hifumi moved over and grabbed him by the collar, shaking him while yelling:

"You idiot! What are you doing? You could have gotten the job you needed to support yourself! You could have found a way to stay in the company that you wanted! Why did you…?"

"Takimoto?"

Hifumi froze as Fudo called her name, turning to the phone in dread.

"Y-yes, Producer. I-It's good to hear from you."

"Takimoto, I will go off the assumption that you have overheard the entire conversation, is that alright?"

Aware that she was busted, Hifumi slumped her shoulders and sighed in agreement. Yet Fudo's voice wasn't burdened in the least:

"That's wonderful news, Takimoto! I'm so happy to hear that you've gotten together with Anders! I was already suspicious when you mentioned how caring and helpful your caretaker had been."

"Y-you were?"

"Of course! In any case, this is extremely good news. That means I won't have any trouble handing over the position to Anders."

A resounding 'What?' rang through the room, Hazuki and Yagami now unable to hold back anymore. Fudo however took their presence in stride.

"Shizuku and Yagami are there as well, I see. Well then, you might want to know that there's no issue if the person Anders dates is Takimoto."

"But Sir!" Hazuki said while fighting a tremble in her voice, "Isn't the company policy that no…"

"Shizuku, that rule was put in place for executive members only. The old sacks in the board were unwilling to be led astray when a woman entered their ranks and decided on this to ensure nobody would do anything stupid. You 'did' read the paragraph properly, right?"

"I…" Hazuki began, before mumbling something about 'got distracted' while shuffling her feet against the floor. Yagami groaned as she leaned back on the counter, while Fudo laughed in the background.

"Well then, I think your doubts have been cleared, haven't they Anders?"

"I... I'm still stumped that you would consider me."

"Oh come on now, you're perfect for the job! You've got the mind of a businessman and that of a humanitarian at the same time. Not to mention, you're also as invested in the company as the rest, as I've overheard from others when you were with us. So just take the position already!"

Anders bit his lip, still undecided, until he turned to Hifumi and asked once more, in a noticeably more nervous tone:

"Hifumi? Your opinion?"

"I…" she began, before slapping herself awake from her surprise, "I think you should take it. I'm sure you'd be happy doing it. Besides... it gives me a chance to stay with you."

She glanced down while turning maroon, Yagami edging her on with a teasing tone that made her want to bury herself into the ground. She never expected it when he pulled her into a hug, enveloping her in warmth she had only felt twice before, once on his back and again this morning.  
"Then I have no regrets. Fudo, I would hereby like to formally accept your offer of becoming Producer for Eagle Jump. Guys, any problems with that?"

Hazuki and Yagami grinned at each other, before answering in unison:

"None!"

Anders laughed, the freest he had ever laughed since Hifumi first met him. He gazed down at her and she returned it, before their lips connected without warning. It sparked the first of many fireworks in Hifumi's mind, who for her part couldn't be happier right now. As much as she regretted parting their lips, she just as much loved it when he faced both Yagami and Hazuki, grinning the widest as he declared:

"In that case, I look forward to working with you all!"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11:**

Aoba's voice woke Hifumi from her sleep-bedraggled state:

"Hey, Hifumi?"

"Hmm?" Hifumi murmured while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She had nodded off on her pillow during lunch, the stress of last night having caught up with her.

"Are you alright? You look exhausted."

"I'm... fine. Just tired from the speed. Haven't gotten used... to it yet."

"I see. Well please take care and eat this. We still have to go to that meeting later today."

"Meeting?" Hifumi commented while snacking on the calorie bar that Aoba handed to her.

"Yeah, did you forget? We're getting a new producer because the old one's quitting. True, it was abrupt, so maybe you overheard it."

"That producer never did anything calmly." Hajime commented, busy eating through the latest flavor of her giant rice crackers, Jun still eying her with disappointment.

"You're going to drive me mad with that crunching, eat something proper for once."

"Why? So you can excuse yourself from eating too much of your own food and gaining weight?"

Jun squeaked as she went into a rant, Hajime merely laughing and waving her half-finished cracker. Hifumi couldn't help but smile as she watched their lunch table erupt in the usual mischief, until another voice joined in:

"Well now, let's not get too excited. Hazuki did say that the applicant was found at short notice."

Hifumi turned to face Rin, who had given Yagami her 'special' lunchbox and instead sat down and ate with them. Yagami was busy drawing while eating, a pair of headphones over her ears that prevented any disturbance. She had opted to wear them throughout the day, finding that the music helped her concentrate. Whether it was for that or to give herself some space from Rin, nobody could or probably ever would find out. Hifumi satiated her curiosity therefore by teasing Yagami about it during their regular phone calls.

Returning her attention to the table, she grabbed her cup of tea and sipped at the brew, feeling her body warm up and fuel her with energy.

"That's better. When is this new producer coming, by the way?"

Rin glanced at her schedule before commenting:

"Roughly four. Apparently, there's been some trouble arranging the transfer in such short time, so Hazuki's been working hard to get them acquainted with the board. We'll only get to see them during the meeting, but it should be interesting nonetheless."  
Nobody argued against it, quietly sipping their tea while they enjoyed the break in their otherwise hectic schedule. The reduction in work hours had caused a huge backlog for people, Hifumi included. Getting organized had taken a few weeks, but she had persevered. She rubbed her lips absentmindedly of the reward she got for her hard work. As she got lost in her thoughts, she barely caught Rin's concerned words:

"Are you alright, Hifumi? You're still getting used to the job and we're taking on more than ever. Don't push yourself."

"It's alright... I just need to hold out until tonight when I celebrate…"

All eyes lit up at her words, Hifumi all too aware why. Aoba took up speaking for everyone:

"You're celebrating the end of your hospital watch, aren't you?"

"It's not official... I still need to take my medication like before…"

"But you get to do it by yourself now, don't you? That must be a relief, both for you and the caretaker. They must have been waiting for this day as well."

Hifumi smiled, all too eager to spoil everything.

"Yes...they're very happy to see me having recovered so well. I'm still not allowed to run by myself, but I hope that can soon change."

The opposite was true in fact, but Hifumi had no choice but to make appearances. At least, until later. Just as Hajime wanted to comment, Rin clapped her hands.

"Lunch's over. Let's get as much done as we can and then head over to the restaurant. I'm still surprised Hazuki rented out the entire place for us. Where did she get the budget for it?"

Hifumi couldn't hold back on this topic and let slip:

"I heard that Hazuki got in contact with somebody who's well acquainted with the owner. She's... well connected."

"I see." Rin said while pushing her chair back to her table, "Well, let's get going as well. Kou, how's the food?"

Yagami raised a thumbs up while continuing to draw with her other hand, Rin giving a pleased sound and hugging her before returning to work. Hifumi could sympathize with Yagami's flustered expression, though it was impossible to ignore the happy smile on her face. Slapping herself awake, she helped pack up the lunch table and returned to her own work, intent on not sleeping through until after the big meeting.

Following a long, but productive work session, Hifumi sighed in relief as she dropped her pen and massaged her chest. The pain of working long hours had faded away somewhat in recent days, but it still took a lot out of her to remain concentrated for so long. She quickly ran through her routine and waited for her discomfort to vanish, before joining the group as they, along with the rest of their staff, headed out of the office. She kept up chatting quietly with Aoba and the others, listening to stories about their wild escapades and ideas while giggling almost constantly. Their walk to the restaurant did not go unnoticed, many eyes tracking the long line of women that flocked to the establishment at the end of the bar street, almost right beside a small alley that led to a dark, disheveled store with no indication of being open. Hifumi eyed it for a moment while moving past. She had not returned to the place since, Yagami having mentioned it no longer being open for business a few days after their last group meeting there. She hadn't explained what had happened, but her eyes had told that it had ended on good terms. So she joined the others as they entered the restaurant, finding their seats close to where Hazuki and Fudo sat together, already busy drinking sake. Getting settled took longer than expected, the layout of the restaurant having been changed drastically to accommodate all the people here today. Once silence reigned though, Hazuki lifted a spoon and tapped her glass, grabbing everyone's attention.

"Everyone, thank you for having come here today. We are here officially to welcome our soon-to-be producer, after our current one, Fudo Tatsumaki, has said a few words. The guest of honor hasn't arrived yet so please be patient."

All eyes landed on the empty seat next to Fudo, before the man himself cleared his throat and stood up, holding his sake glass steady despite his red cheeks:

"Welcome everyone. I am Fudo Tatsumaki, Producer of Eagle Jump and your 'overlord'. It pleases me that so many of my subordinates have gathered to send me off."

His cheerful tone had the right effect, most coworkers smiling or even giggling out of politeness.

"You all know why we are here, but none of you know who we are awaiting. I'm sure you have your personal suspicions over whom it may be. Perhaps this is all a ruse and I'm actually instating Hazuki here."

"Oh come now, Fudo." Hazuki waved him off with a deceivingly innocent smile, "I'm far too young to be taking up such an important position. You're going to make me look old."  
Fudo cleared his throat in a manner that conveyed more than the gesture, causing nearly everyone to smirk as Hazuki sent death glares at him. He ignored them though and pressed on, unperturbed:

"But before we get into the main event, I would like to say a few words to you all, both as your soon to be ex-producer and as a human being."

His phrasing caught the interest of many, who leaned in over their respective tables.

"I am aware that my actions, especially those over the last few months, have caused you a great deal of grief, particularly with the development of our new product. My actions were led by none other than my own opinions, without regarding any of yours for feedback and possible improvements. Therefore, I wish to apologize to you all first and foremostly. I am truly sorry."

He gave a deep bow, the gesture enough to shock nearly everyone apart from Yagami, Hazuki and Hifumi. Aoba stared open-mouthed at Fudo, evidently trying to comprehend someone as important as him acting so humble. As he raised himself again, a grin adorned his features.

"With that being said, I can now give you all room to breathe regarding your new producer. I've made my decision very carefully so that whoever succeeds me will make sure to have your views and feelings in consideration. At the same time, I cannot think of a more suitable person to lead you all into new heights through the years. It has been an amazing time for me and I thank you all for your hard work and effort. Now then, our guest should be here any…"

He was interrupted by the sound of the restaurant door opening, all eyes turning to the door before widening in shock. Aoba barely managed to stammer out a single word:

"S-Sojiro?"

Indeed, before their very eyes stood none other than Sojiro, only immensely larger than usual. He towered over the seated members like a guard dog, his beady eyes level with the collarbone of most people. He turned his head left and right as he began to sniff for something. Hifumi watched with a pleased expression as Sojiro crawled along the open space between the tables, now revealed to have been done so on purpose. Sojiro continued navigating his way around the floor, the other coworkers in both distress and confusion as to what was going on. Hifumi couldn't blame them.

As Sojiro clambered past however, he paused and eyed her, Hifumi giving a small wave. The overly large mammal continued staring, before suddenly moving in and opening its jaw, the inside of its mouth pitch-black due to the lighting. Aoba gave a warning shout but was too late, the head of the giant hedgehog swallowing Hifumi's head almost whole. Screams began to resound in the restaurant, before Hifumi raised her hands into the air. The gesture brought them all to stop momentarily, watching in shock as Sojiro retreated and left a maroon faced Hifumi behind.

"I'm fine!" she exclaimed through her blush, "He didn't hurt me. He... recognized me."

Questions aplenty rose from the others while Yagami burst into hysterical laughter, tears forming in her eyes as she tried to get it under control. Rin didn't know whether to stare at her in disapproval or to eye the massive hedgehog in fear. The animal in question continued heading to the table where Fudo and Hazuki were seated, the latter shaking as she tried to contain her own laughter. Fudo satisfied himself with a smirk that told Hifumi he was enjoying himself immensely.

"Ah, perfect. You're just in time."  
Sojiro glanced at Fudo and nodded with its oversized head, before seating himself beside him. The confusion now evolved to being dumbfounded as Hajime pressed out:

"Producer? What did you mean by that?"

"Oh, did I not explain? This here is the one who will be taking over from me. Everyone, please give him a warm welcome."

Him and Hazuki began to clap, the action only reciprocated by Hifumi and a shaking Yagami, while the rest remained silent. Nobody had any clue what was going on, it being just the way Hifumi wanted. She set her role into motion by raising a hand and asking:  
"Producer? Could you explain how a giant hedgehog could possibly be our new producer? I find that rather impossible, not to mention absurd."

Nods of agreement passed around the restaurant, barely anyone able to watch the situation with a straight face. Sojiro sat up on his behind and gazed over the crowd, before raising a paw and waving cheerfully over to them. Fudo then cleared his throat again before speaking:

"Well then, would you be so kind as to introduce yourself? I think your impression has already been made, for better or worse."

Sojiro stared at Fudo with a cocked head, before beginning to fumble with his oversized head using his paws. Eventually, he grabbed hold of some fold and used it to pop the head off, revealing someone whose name was echoed by Aoba and the rest of Hifumi's table:

"Anders!"

The man grinned as he slowly extracted himself from the outfit, wearing formal attire underneath that must have made it nigh unbearable to be inside the suit, spare the lack of a tie. Everybody stared as he finally extracted himself, landing on the ground with a satisfied huff. He quickly arranged the hedgehog suit so it wouldn't get crumpled, as Hifumi had taught him to do, before facing the restaurant with a smile. He glanced over at Hifumi and, after a nod from her, he took a deep breath.

"Thank you for having me. My name is Anders Tansuke and I'm the one to be receiving the position of Producer at Eagle Jump."

The entire table where Hifumi sat erupted in a mixture of shock and disbelief. Hajime looked ready to faint from the processing while Rin just stared at him with an open mouth. It amused Hifumi that, for a moment, they were the odd group in the mix, most coworkers raising eyebrows at them while Ahagon gave a laugh, Nene beside her as confused as the rest.

"Well I'll be." Ahagon's voice proved she was incredibly amused, "What happened to that great 'silent treatment' you were giving us before?"

Anders looked over towards her before chuckling briefly himself.

"Call it a phase of mine. I want to repeat my words though and thank everybody who came to greet me. Pardon the unusual entrance, I couldn't deny my partner the chance to see it in action."

The news passed around like wildfire, everyone marking him as taken while some gave disappointed sighs. The even greater question, however, based on their whispers, was who exactly his 'partner' was. Hifumi couldn't help but feel a brief burst of pride in her chest, ignoring Aoba's questioning look.

"Now then, to business. I'm sure some of you have questions regarding me, but I'll ask that you keep them until the end. I wish for this to be an enjoyable experience for all of us. Shizuku, what's first on the agenda?"

Again, everyone turned speechless as he addressed Hazuki by her first name, who only returned a smile and lifted a slip of paper. Hifumi would have been shocked as well, had she not been there outside the Masked Glass when Hazuki had told the two of them to call her that from now on.

"You should probably give them an explanation of what you are up to. That might help mellow them out."

"Agreed. So then, I'm not wrong in guessing that you all have interest in just what I'm doing here. Some of you will recognize me for my involvement with Kerzo Marketing and the cyber-attack that was carried out."

A brief glance over the group showed over half were guilty, looking away briefly to wipe away the awkwardness.

"It's no surprise that a lot of you are shocked that I've come out of nowhere to take this position. After all, I vanished for a few months after my first week here, as some of you may remember. I did make quite a show of it."

He gave a nervous laugh while scratching his head, some co-workers giving sour looks as they recalled the chase that they had also been involved in. He had built a small following during his first week, no surprise given him being the first male employee in their circles in a long while.

"I truly apologize for that shameful exit. But I've returned, and with more determination than ever before. Before we get into the boring parts of what I promise to bring to the table with my new job, let's all get to know each other better. I would like to make a gamble with you all, if that's fine."

Curious eyes swarmed Anders, who remained steadfast.

"I will try to remember the name of every employee here. For every name that I get wrong over the next month, I promise to add one thousand yen from my own pockets to your paychecks. Of course, only for the aforementioned month. Since we have nearly... fifty people here, that adds up to about fifty thousand yen each time I slip up. How does that sound?"  
The curious look in their eyes shifted to that of genuine surprise, hushed conversations erupting amongst the tables about the possible losses he could incur. Aoba and the others satisfied themselves with the most dumbfounded looks Hifumi had ever seen. She would have been part of them, had she not tried to rebuke the idea with Anders a few days ago. As such however, she remained content with watching as Fudo raised his arms and brought them all to quieten down.

"I see you like to play with fire, Anders." he said while chuckling, "That could be a very steep price if you do keep your end of the bargain."

Anders shrugged as if the prospect of losing tens of thousands was inconsequential.

"I always mean what I say. Well," he added after Yagami gave a loud cough, "I at least try to these days. But I will try to learn all the names here. After all, how on earth am I going to decide who to make my coffee girl if I can't even say her name?"

He had said it teasingly, but it didn't come across well with the others. Hifumi watched as eyes narrowed all around them, Ahagon's one of them. The distrust in the room grew exponentially, the glares Anders received positively stormy, when he tried to put up a defense by raising his own hand.

"I apologize for the tasteless joke. Putting that aside for now though, I do wish to begin learning your names. So then, shall we start over here?"

He pointed over to one of the tables on the far end, the girls on it discussing between themselves before beginning to list their names, their voices just a bit too quiet to hear properly. Yet Anders didn't pick on it, asking the next table instead to give their introductions. This went on for nearly fifteen minutes, each person giving a curt greeting before handing the job over to the next. Ahagon's voice was icy as she gave hers, daring anyone to comment on it. Nobody was stupid enough though to do so, with the unfortunate exception of none other than Anders himself. Hifumi sighed mentally as he raised an eyebrow and commented:

"You and I never spoke much, but I look forward to hearing more of you in future. Your work in the Programming Team is highly acclaimed by other members."

"I do not require praise from someone else. I know what I can do and that suffices."

"I see. Allow me the courtesy then of becoming acquainted with your efforts from now on, 'Ahegao'."

Any trace of heat in the room vanished as darkness began to surround Ahagon, her eyes losing all life in them as she stood up. People instinctively retreated a foot around her, making space before her slow steps caught them in the crossfire. She made her way towards Anders with ever-increasing anger, the culprit meanwhile bursting into laughter. The sight was enough to even make Ahagon stop momentarily, during which he blurted out:

"I'm so sorry, I just couldn't help it! I heard how sensitive you were to your name and wondered what would happen if I tried it myself."

"You'd sign your own death warrant for that?" Ahagon said while pulling out an airsoft pistol from her hair, nobody asking what it was doing there.

"I'm not signing anything else today other than the contract. I just wanted to see how the ever-collected Head of Programming would react to a deliberate tease. You've shown me just what a mistake it is and for that, I thank you. I promise to do better next time."

The sheer sincerity in his voice put everyone off-guard, his subsequent bow making Ahagon stumble back a step.

"Please forgive my transgression. If I may comment though, you looked extremely cute while angry. One should use that next time you go on a date."

With that his fate was sealed, Ahagon loosening a hail of bullets onto his head. Hifumi watched in wonder as he took every bullet head-on, only moving once the gun had been emptied and smiling at her, though she swore she saw a tear in his eye.

"Will that be enough? I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to shoot something else next time, I'm afraid my skull can't take much more."

Ahagon merely huffed and turned around to return to her seat, only to let slip:

"It's no fun when people are serious. You've convinced me that you're intent on performing your duties at least."

The smile he widened showed his appreciation at her words, bowing once more:

"Thank you. I hope to get along with you, along with the rest of course."

He raised his head and shuffled back to his seat, rubbing the back of his head.

"Now then, who's next?"  
Everyone was still reeling from the sudden show of acceptance from Ahagon, before slowly picking up the thread and continuing. Soon enough, they reached Hifumi and the others, Aoba being first.

"S-Suzukaze Aoba. Character team."

"Well met, Aoba. I'm glad to see you in Eagle Jump still. Never forget what your goals were when joining here."

"Y-yes." came her stunned reply, not having expected the encouragement.

"Shinoda Hajime. What's up, Houdini?"

Anders couldn't withhold a smirk.

"Just the occasional smoke cloud, nothing much. Glad to see your humor hasn't changed, Hajime."

Hajime merely grinned, having overcome her surprise a while ago and handing the stage to Yun:

"Iijima Yun. At your service, Mr. 'Work and Dash'."

She performed a polite bow with mockery clearly drawn on her face. Yet Anders took it in stride, bowing himself as he commented:

"It's good to see you again. I see the dietary plan you've been trying since I left has seen better days."

Yun gave a squeak and turned maroon, trying to hide under the table as giggles erupted around her. She glared at Anders with eyes sharp enough to cut diamonds, yet he was already occupied with the next person:

"Toyama Rin. It's been a while, Anders."

"Indeed it has, Rin. I can tell you have many questions and more to ask me, but I ask that you wait until the end. For now, I am glad to be here and to be able to speak to you face to face. As I plan to do with everyone here."

He let his intense gaze reach across the room, some of the girls looking away with faint blushes on their cheeks. Hifumi had to fight the urge to speak out, aware that he was leaving her for last. So she sufficed herself with listening to Yagami's lazy tone:

"Yagami Kou. Any further introduction is prohibited. You want more info, take it up with my partner."

She pointed to Rin, who turned red herself before trying to come up with an excuse. She didn't get the chance to though, as Yagami's wink towards her made her nearly faint with pleasure. Thus, Hifumi became acutely aware of Anders' gaze having landed on her.

"It would seem you're the last one. Takimoto Hifumi, I believe. I heard you were hospitalized a few months ago and only recently began working again. I hope you won't be overdoing it while I'm in charge. I'd hate to have to take you to hospital and pay for it all."

She couldn't hold it in, breaking into laughter that he reciprocated, leaving the majority speechless. Once they had calmed down, Hifumi cleared her throat and spoke in as professional a manner as she could manage:

"I will do my best, Mr. Tansuke."

"Please, call me Anders."

"Then refer to me as Hifumi as well."

"Can do, Hifumi. Would you be able to answer a question of mine?"

She arched an eyebrow.

"And what would that be?"

His response began with an exasperated smile.

"Would you perhaps tell me where my tie is? I was searching for it in the apartment this morning and had no luck."

The playful smirk on her face must have been shocking for most, partially enjoying the stares as she stood up and pulled out a long piece of fabric from her pocket, neatly rolled up. She walked up so she kneeled next to Anders, before helping him with putting it on.

"You should really take better care of your things, Anders." she complained while doing the first loop, "I told you to put it on your chair and where did I find it? Thrown into the corner."  
Anders tried to look ashamed but failed spectacularly. Similar to how everyone else in the room failed to hide their disbelief at the scene unfolding before them.

"I'm sorry, Hifumi. You didn't have to go and take it from me though. I had to look like this before the entire board. That wasn't a comfortable session."

"You're here now aren't you?" she said while finishing up the tie, "Besides, you don't need a tie to make a good impression. You do that without the suit."

She performed a final sweep of her work, before patting the tie affectionately.

"There. I knew it was a good choice when I saw it online."

"Did I ever question your fashion sense? Your latest..."

"Keep your mouth shut if you want dinner tonight."

He took the warning seriously, already longing for the feast that awaited him and the rest. They had spent the evening preparing the cold dishes, that selection already enough to make him water upon mention. As he glumly nodded and began to look downcast, Hifumi felt a small wave of sympathy for him. So she leaned over and grabbed his head in her hands, guiding him to look in her eyes.

"Oh come now, you can't be looking like that. You're the producer, you need to be more confident. Here, something to motivate you."

She swallowed the panic in her chest as she did the unthinkable, leaning further in and landing her lips against his. The restaurant erupted in screams, Hajime's and Yun's jaws even with the floor while Aoba opened and closed her mouth over and over again. Ahagon just kept watching with a small smirk, while Rin was being brought back from unconsciousness by Yagami. Hifumi didn't care though, letting the sensation run its course through her before she split from him, the blush on his face reflected in her own. She quickly made her way back to her seat, the attention on her nigh unbearable, before Anders clapped his hands loud enough to make everyone cringe.

"That's quite enough of that. I've heard all your names and I'm going to keep my promise. With that in mind, Shizuku, when is the planned release for our game?"

Hazuki's answer was as quick as a pistol shot, the shift in attitude just adding to the confusion.

"We plan to release the game by the end of September, so roughly fifteen months from now."

"Fifteen months? Is that due to development or because of marketing reasons? And has the public been made aware of this date?"

"It's due to our marketing team being unable to secure an earlier date for our game. We would theoretically be done with production in another year, based on our current progress. So far, we haven't revealed the exact date to any magazines or the sort."

Anders gave a nod while crossing his arms, his eyes closed as he delved into that routine of his where he would contemplate an issue at great depth before surfacing out with some ridiculous plan. Hifumi had seen it only a few times so far, but the results had always been surprising. She ignored the remaining glares in her direction while he suddenly gave a confident sound from himself.

"Everyone, do you think you can complete your tasks within the next year as Shizuku predicted?"

The question was passed around with an undertone, as if he already knew they could do it. Hifumi immediately agreed, Aoba and the others slowly joining her. After a minute or two, the rest of the room gave their agreement.

"Wonderful. Then I will make it my priority these next few weeks to find us an earlier time slot for the game to be released. If you all work extra hard, I might even give us an international release."

Eyebrows raised, everyone gave a doubtful look at Anders. He didn't take any damage from it however, giving another grin that tugged at Hifumi's heartstrings.

"I can assure you, I do not make empty promises here. I happen to be well-connected despite my blunders, so arrangements can be made. So to summarize, I run the risk of losing my first few paychecks and any remaining respect from you all. A small price to pay, I find. Well then, shall we move on?"

Their remaining time in the restaurant was a mixture of fun and awkwardness. The main reason was undeniably due to Hifumi's earlier display, making her the ultimate target for nearly every person in the restaurant. Aoba wouldn't stop interrogating her on everything she missed, being accompanied by a sizeable portion of the company. Fending them off had been a struggle, Hifumi saved by the timely appearance of a familiar waitress. The woman herself was striking, wearing an expensive kimono with a cherry petal design while her braided silver hair hung down elegantly. She, alongside an androgynous man who Hifumi presumed to be the chef, passed around numerous platters of both snacks and tea, the aroma of rosemary bewitching almost. After the first cup, people had calmed down significantly, granting Hifumi the chance to meet with Anders again, who had been conversing with the waitress in private before returning with a bright smile. It had almost not surprised Hifumi to find out who the waitress was, who retreated silently with the chef. Once afternoon turned to evening though, Hazuki and Fudo broke up the meeting. Anders moved to send everyone off at the door, being received much more warmly than before as the women giggled and poked to fluster him. Once Hifumi had settled next to him though, she saw to her relief how they stopped.

Near the end, it was only a small group left, consisting of the Character Team, Hazuki, Fudo, Ahagon and Nene. They all sat around the same table now, chatting happily while Hifumi leaned back with a sigh.

"Tired?" she heard Anders ask, nodding while leaning against his arm.

"That kiss nearly floored me. I thought my heart was going to jump out."  
"Good thing you had me to catch it in case that happened."

They giggled to each other, only to be interrupted by Hajime's booming voice:  
"Alright, can we get an explanation now how in the hell you two got together? I've been burning brain cells this whole time and I haven't gotten any further than 'impossible'."  
Glancing briefly at each other, Hifumi smiled and turned to the now silent table, everyone apart from Hazuki and Yagami burning with eagerness.  
"Well, it's of course a long story. I kind of want to tell you all more at our place though."  
"Don't forget someone else." Anders reminded her, the confusion of the others lifted when the door to the restaurant slammed open, revealing a panting Futaba.

"Where is that idiot? I'm going to wring that hairy neck of his!"

Anders gave a huff as he stood up to greet her.

"First off, how the hell is that some way to talk about someone? Second, good to see you too, you little rascal."

Futaba's eyes widened to the point where one thought they would fall out, before taking heavy stomps towards him. Once he was in range, she punched him hard in the stomach, causing him to buckle slightly.

"Damn." he winced while covering the area, "You've been keeping up those martial arts, have you?"

"Only to teach you a lesson when you finally grew up! What the hell are you doing, leaving me out in the dark all this time? Do you have any idea how worried your dad and Takamura were?"

A flash of pain crossed Anders' expression, though Hifumi knew it wasn't due to the punch. Nobody expected it when he moved in and embraced Futaba, who jumped in his grip.

"I know I've been an idiot. It's pretty much established that I tend to make bad decisions around people that care for me. That's why I'm so damn grateful to have had you there all those years. Thank you for caring about me. I know you've been doing your best handling both my family and the company."

Any fight Futaba had left in her melted as she returned the hug, quiet sobs being audible. Nobody said anything as they let the two reconcile, Hifumi more than aware at this point how closely involved Futaba had been with Anders. Once she split from him, wiping her nose with a handkerchief, Anders grinned again and turned to Hifumi.

"Futaba, may I present you Hifumi Takimoto. Character Team Leader of Eagle Jump and my girlfriend."

Just as Futaba's mouth folded open, a thunderous voice came from the door:

"I knew it!"

Everyone turned to the door in a startled fashion, catching sight of an enormous blond-haired man in a tourist outfit, accompanied by a far shorter toad-like man that sweated profusely.

"See Takashi?" the blond man roared, taking massive steps that culminated in him hugging Anders with strength that would have crushed an average person. The latter showed considerable discomfort, nonetheless, even being lifted slightly.

"D-Dad, good to see you."

"Is that what I get after having you disappear on me for a quarter year? I thought the loan sharks had gotten you or something. Instead you're here taking on a job as producer and waving your girlfriend around that we never got to meet. Come here you!"

"Wait, Dad!" Anders yelled, but it was too late. The man had already approached Hifumi, who had stood up herself to greet them. She had only ever heard of Anders' father before, her impression blown away by the real thing. She feared for her life as his arms surrounded her, only to find them ending surprisingly gentle. As she felt him pause midway, she caught him grinning in an all too familiar way.

"Thought I'd crush you, huh? Well, good thing I have an informant on the medical side. My kid actually thought he could hide from his family."

"Wait you knew?" Hifumi and Anders blurted out simultaneously, causing the man to chuckle.

"Takeshi, these kids think we're born in the Stone Age or something!"  
"Give them a break, you viking." Takamura commented while walking up to Anders, who stared at him with mixed emotions, "They are after all young and still ready to experience more hardship. It's good to see you Anders."

"Mr. Takamura…" Anders began, only to be cut off:

"Call me Takeshi. You know we don't have to keep up appearances anymore, nor do we both want to. I'm just glad you're alright. Even if we knew you weren't in danger, it was concerning for us to have you just break off like that. Of course, your reasons are as admirable as they are noble."

A light blush decorated Anders' features, giving a nervous laugh. Takamura's smile widened.

"I'm sure that Sayuri would be happy as well to see you here."

Anders' cheer vanished in a split second, replaced with somberness that stung to watch. His gaze became downcast as he looked away. For a moment, Hifumi could discern a distant look in Takamura's eyes as well, until he sighed and pulled Anders in by his tie.

"Look at me, Anders."  
The group watched as Anders slowly turned back to face him, his eyes appearing hollow. It was something Hifumi had still not been able to lift fully from him.

"You have nothing to feel guilty about. I never treated you like I should have because I thought I needed to wake you from your pain and suffering. After six years of this 'routine', I can safely say it was a mistake on my part. But do not let what happened weigh you down. Sayuri and Yumina both lived the lives they wanted and spent the time they had with the people they cherished. You must not feel burdened by their lives. Here."

Takamura took out an envelope from his inner pocket and handed it to Anders, who took it and gave a shocked gasp as he read the writing.

"This is…"

Takamura halted him again, turning to the group and clapping his hands.

"Everyone, I think we should begin to head to the car. I have space to fit you all, so there's nothing to concern yourself with. Ms. Takimoto."  
"Y-yes?"

Takamura gave another smile as he turned to the door and began heading out.

"I thank you for all the help you've given my step-son. You are both admirable people. Come on Erik, let's give them some peace."

Erik took his words to heart, quickly shooing the rest of the group out along with Hazuki and Fudo, each of them giving a glance at both Hifumi and the trembling Anders. Yagami's voice echoed outside the restaurant, evidently busied with Takamura, before she closed the door and left them alone.

As silence enveloped Hifumi's mind, she cast a concerned eye at Anders, whose gaze was frozen onto the words on the front of the envelope.

"Anders?" she whispered while taking his other hand, succeeding in waking him from his stupor. He gave a surprised sound as he recognized her presence, wiping his eye with his sleeve.

"Oh, sorry. I was just…"

"Is it Sayuri?"

He gave a shocked look, before sighing and slumping his shoulders.

"Yeah. Turns out she had something written for me."

"Do you... want to read it by yourself?"

He eyed the paper briefly, only to shake his head.

"No, stay here please. This is for me to read, but it's something I want to share with you. If... if you want to."

His eyes began to well up, trying to hide it by looking away. Hifumi could do little else but sigh and cup his cheek in her hand, turning his head around so she could seal their lips. The kiss was long and deep, removing all worry and doubt from Hifumi just as much as from Anders. When they split, a warm smile was all they could exchange until they sat down and he opened the letter. His eyes locked onto the top of the open page, laden with memory but also faint happiness. He cleared his throat and slowly began to speak. Yet as he spoke, Hifumi felt like it wasn't his voice carrying the words, but rather that of a young woman with a great burden on her shoulders:

_My beloved Anders,_

_If you are reading this, then I am no longer here to tell you these words. I do not know why I felt I had to do this the night before we take the car. Maybe it's an omen of terrible things to happen. Maybe I'm just paranoid. Would just suit me perfectly, don't you think?_

He paused, his eyes looking more distant than ever. Hifumi leaned herself against him, using her warmth to spur him on.

_Yumina is sleeping next to me, so I have to be careful not to wake her. But I wanted to tell you this before I might lose the chance to ever tell you. Anders, my first love and the man I married. You and I weren't exactly a comfortable pair, even in the beginning. People thought we stuck out from each other too much, that one side outweighed the other constantly. Even if they kept it quiet for our sakes, I could tell nobody found us particularly fitting. And now, I feel like I can agree with them._

A wave of concern washed over Hifumi, keeping an eye on Anders. Yet he seemed untouched by the words, pressing on without hesitation.

_We were probably a bad choice from the beginning. Even if it wasn't a matter of hiding our relationship from the others. Dad and Erik never thought of it, nor did your mother. But the moment Yumina came into my life, it only made it clear that what you and I were had little chance of holding up. We both could never bring ourselves to say it, but the feelings we had for each other faded much quicker than anyone knew. But you know, I don't regret it. Every day we spent together, whether it were in the office or in the park eating lunch, was one of the happiest days of my life. I don't regret ever having met you. I don't regret having married you. And I don't regret ever having fallen in love with you._

_I failed our marriage by losing the love we had between us. And despite that, you only supported me, giving me advice and consideration that I never deserved. You are far too kind to everyone you meet, kind to the point where it hurts. It was what made me first fall for you and what ultimately brought us apart. Even so, you're not alone in this world. Whatever might happen, remember to think about the people around you. Your coworkers, your friends, your family. They're all there for you, if you believe it or not. Just be open and you can find whatever answer you look for. _

_I'm waking Yumina up, I need to finish. Anders, please don't lose sight of what you have gained in your life. I don't hold anything against you and neither does Yumina. None of us wanted to hurt each other, but the choices we made can't be taken back. So please, take care of yourself. Don't hurt yourself anymore over us. Both me and Yumina want you to focus on one thing. Not to worry about us. But to step into the future and find your own happiness, with whomever you wish. You have your own life to live, your own people to meet. And you have the freedom to love someone who can return the feelings I failed to keep for you. _

_Love, Sayuri_

The spell had broken. As Anders finished the last word, he released a heavy sigh, dropping the letter and hanging his head. His breathing was ragged, him almost hyperventilating, causing Hifumi no end of concern. Grasping his head in her hands, she guided him to look at her and gaze deep into her eyes.

"Breathe."

She repeated the word a few times, Anders slowly coming around and performing the routine she had gotten so acquainted with over the last few months. With each repetition, she could see his eyes begin to clear up, his trembling reduced to mere twitches. Finally, he returned to something more resembling his usual self, covering her hands with his own.

"Hifumi...thank you. For being here."

She simply smiled and turned her grip into an embrace, burying him in her hair.

"You were very brave."

"Sayuri…" she heard him mumble through the fabric, "...even in the end, she didn't lose hope or faith in me. Even after I failed to try and regain her love, after I failed to keep her and Yumina alive, they didn't think ill of me."

"Yes." Hifumi echoed after him while stroking his head.

"It hurts, Hifumi."

"Sorry, did I go too rough?"

"No, not that. Part of me... wants to accept the forgiveness Sayuri showed me. The other... wants to deny it and continue to hurt me like before. It's tearing me apart. Why... why can't I simply get myself to accept the things I want?"

Hifumi gave a warm smile as she gently pulled him up, bringing him to an unsteady stand.

"You just need time Anders. Like I needed time with my heart. You've been keeping these feelings back for six years now, it's to be expected. But it doesn't mean you can't change."

She paused to peck him on the lips.

"Just like I changed my life to move on, you need to go through it as well. But you're not alone. You have your family. You have your friends."

Taking his hand in hers, she embraced him tightly.

"And you have me. We're all here to support you."

Her embrace was quickly returned by Anders, whose warmth never failed to invigorate her.

"I love you Hifumi."

Her heart soaring with happiness, she answered:

"I love you too, Anders. Now come on, we have a party to celebrate and people to entertain. Oh right, almost forgot…"

He gave a confused sound as she rummaged in her pocket and pulled out a small blue box, wrapped with a wisteria bow. She held the box out before her and indicated for Anders to take it. He accepted it with trembling fingers and slowly unwrapped it. Once the box was open he gave a gasp at the necklace inside. It was a masterpiece of simplicity, a fine gold chain holding an oval locket. As he took it out, he noticed the flat button on the back, flipping it and staring in wonder as it began to vibrate for brief intervals, always in a duet that spanned a moment between each. He listened to the sound for a while, before turning back to Hifumi.

"This…"

She smiled as she took the locket from him and placed it around his neck, beating gently against his chest.

"My heartbeat. I went to the doctor and had them record it so I could transfer the rhythm to a timer. Its solar powered so it will never stop. Just like mine won't stop beating for you Anders."

"Hifumi, you can't…"

"I know we shouldn't think or talk about things like 'forever' or 'eternally'. I know I don't have a full life to live anymore with my new heart. If I'm lucky, I'll make it to fifty. But that's why I want you to never forget Anders. Even if I were to die, I will never forget the love and happiness you've given me. I don't regret anything that's happened so far. The happiness you've given me is something I can never pay back. So please, whenever you're in trouble or need support, hold onto this and think of me. And finally…"

She leaned in and kissed him once more on the lips.

"... Happy Birthday."

Fresh tears sprung from him as he embraced her tightly, rocking forwards and backwards for a while until he calmed down. As they separated and stood up together, Anders placed his hand over the locket and listened to it for a few seconds.

"When did I ever deserve you, Hifumi?"

She just smiled and took his hand, leading him out of the restaurant and towards the group of people awaiting them eagerly in the large limousine.

"You don't have to live up to happiness Anders. You just need to learn to accept it. Life's too short otherwise."

He gave no response, yet the synchronized pulse which echoed in their hands was enough to prove that they were in agreement. As the door to the limousine opened and Yagami ushered them in, Hifumi could only think of how happy she was to be alive.


End file.
